HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-03-2010 MinutesCharter Commission
June 3. 2010
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1 FINAL DRAFT
2 CITY OF LINO LAKES
3 CHARTER COMMISSION
4 Special Meeting
5
6
7 DATE June 3, 2010
8 TIME STARTED 6:41 P.M.
9 TIME ENDED 8:04 P.M.
10 MEMBERS PRESENT Dahl, Gunderson, Drennen, Penn, Storberg, Trehus,
11 Turcotte, Williams
12 MEMBERS EXCUSED Aldentaler, Bretoi, Carlson, Lyden, Minar, Sutherland,
13 Zastrow
14 MEMBERS UNEXCUSED None
15 STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT None
16 OTHERS PRESENT: None
17
18
19 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
20 Chair Dahl called the meeting of the Lino Lakes Charter Commission to order at 6:41 pm. on
21 June 3, 2010.
22
23 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
24
25 OPEN MIKE
26 No one was present for open mike.
27
28 APPROVAL OF MINUTES
29 Minutes from January 2010 will be continued to be tabled until the July meeting.
30
31 On the minutes from the April 8, 2010, Commissioner Trehus requested the following changes:
32
33 Under "Approval of Minutes" change "approve" to "receive" and change "complete Draft" to
34 "final approved copy".
35
36 Under Item 6A, to take out the word "a" in between the words "the" and "person."
37
38 Under Item 6B, add Commissioner Trehus after Comm. Dahl at the beginning of the first line.
39 Also, where "secretary" is, replace the word with "professional secretarial service".
40
41 Under Item 6F, on the second line, Commissioner Trehus asked if Commissioner Storberg was
42 the person who suggested putting Tax Cap Amendment on the agenda with the Council.
n 43 Commissioner Gunderson stated she would ask Commissioner Sutherland if she remembers who
44 made the motion.
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June 3, 2010
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45
46 MOTION by Commissioner Trehus, seconded by Commissioner Drennen, to approve the
47 minutes as amended with the remaining question to be answered in discussion between
48 Commissioners Sutherland and Gunderson.
49
50 Motion passes unanimously.
51
52
53 OLD BUSINESS
54
55 A. Tax Cap Amendment
56 Commissioner Trehus stated the deadline for ballot question submission is 12 weeks before the
57 general election: August 10th. Commissioner Gunderson stated that is also the date of the State's
58 primary election.
59
60 Commissioner Trehus also stated the Legislature extended the expiration of the State Statute of
61 levy limits to the end of 2011.
62
63 Commissioner Drennen asked if a city tax levy cap would be redundant if in 2011, the State
64 Legislature again extends the expiration of levy limits.
65
66 Commissioner Trehus stated that if there were a state statute limiting tax levies and the city also
67 had a tax levy cap, the more stringent tax levy limit would prevail.
68
69 Commissioner Trehus reviewed The City of Lino. Lakes past 10 years of data regarding
70 population growth versus total tax levy growth. Commissioner Trehus also reviewed three other
71 cities, Fridley, West St. Paul and Mounds View who have amendments in their Charter to limit
72 their tax levy. Commissioner Trehus asked for preferences of how to model a tax levy limit for
73 Lino Lakes.
74
75 Commissioner Trehus would also like more information regarding the past history of why tax
76 levies grew as they did.
77
78 Commissioner Drennen did not prefer to model a tax levy limit on previous year budget, nor to
79 population growth as both could influence a lowering of standards the city has in order to go
80 around a cap and raise revenues.
81
82 Commissioner Trehus stated that the update of the City's Comprehensive plan was still being
83 worked on and the plan may affect plans of population growth for the city.
84
85 Commissioner Gunderson stated that the state statute seemed to be based more on market
86 influences and inflation. She suggested that a city tax levy limit be modeled after the current
87 state statute.
88
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June 3, 2010
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89 Commissioner Drennen stated that the state statute seems well thought out and it would not add
90 any administrative issues. The city is already following the statute.
91
92 Commissioner Trehus agreed with using the statute for modeling a city tax levy limit. He asked
93 if the levy cap would shrink with a budget cut.
94
95 Commissioner Drennen would like to ask the League of Minnesota Cities if in the current state
96 statute for levy limits, how the limit is affected by a city's budget cut. Commissioner Trehus
97 recommended that we ask the Council this at the July meeting as well.
98
99 Commissioner Storberg asked if the Commission could put together a list of questions together
100 for the City Council in advance of the July meeting.
101
102 Commissioner Drennen suggested we also send the City Council the agenda for the July joint
103 meeting. Commissioner Gunderson said we would then add any items the Councils wishes to
104 discuss at the meeting.
105
106 MOTION by Commissioner Storberg, seconded by Commissioner Penn, that Chair Dahl send all
107 Commissioners an e-mail regarding any questions they may have regarding the tax levy cap
108 amendment and Chapter 8 of the Charter to be forwarded to the Mayor and Council to be
109 answered at the July 8th meeting. Commissioners must reply with their questions by Tuesday 12
110 Noon. Chair should emphasize importance of the July 8th meeting with the City Council to the
111 Commissioners.
112
113 Commissioner Storberg calls the question. Motion passes unanimously.
114
115 NEW BUSINESS
116
117 A. Reminder: Joint meeting with Council; July 8, 2010 at 6:30pm
118
119 Chair Dahl reminds the Commission about the joint meeting on July 8, 2010 at 6:30pm.
120
121 Commissioner Perm asked if we will be making a decision about a ballot question for a cap on
122 tax levy amendment.
123
124 Commissioner Trehus stated it was possible.
125
126 ADJOURN
127 MOTION by Commissioner Storberg, seconded by Commissioner Williams, to adjourn the
128 meeting at 8:04pm. Motion carried unanimously.
129
130
P''N 131
132
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June 3, 2010
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133
134 Respectfully Submitted,
135
136 Kelly Gunderson
137 Secretary
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