05-22-2008 Charter Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

.--. II. Statutory cities There are 746 statutory cities in the state. The city code (Minn. Stat. Ch. 412) authorizes the adoption of any one of three alternative forms of government, designated as Optional Plan A, Optional Plan B, and the Standard Plan. Plan A is the accepted form of government for all statutory cities except those where voters had previously elected to remain on the Standard Plan and those with the Plan B form. Under Plan A, the council is composed of a mayor and four councilmembers. The clerk and treasurer are appointed. Under certain circumstances there can be more councilmembers. There are over 600 Plan A statutory cities in Minnesota. Plan B, currently used by 16 statutory cities, provides for the council-manager form of government. This option is available only to statutory cities having populations in excess of 1,000, after a referendum. The Standard Plan calls for an elected city clerk and treasurer. The clerk serves as a voting member of the council and takes the place of one councilmember. There are about 125 Standard Plan statutory cities in the state. The term "Standard Plan" is somewhat misleading, since most statutory cities automatically took on the Plan A form of government in the early 1970s. Cities wishing to retain the Standard Plan were required to hold an election in order to do so. In all statutory cities elective officers take office on the first business day in January. Charter and election data for Minnesota cities 5