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(July 25, 2013) Mayor Reinert and Council Member Stoesz, I couldn't disgree more with both the premise and the content of the letter you've asked the City Clerk to forward to me. I find your attempts to blur the facts and redefine the commission's actual vote to be completely disrespectful and inappropriate. Your statement that "To date there has been no formal request by the charter commission to meet with the city council regarding Commissioner Storbergs motion" is a complete disresgard of the November 8 vote of the Commission. That vote reads as follows: "MOTION by Commissioner Storberg, seconded by Commissioner Gunderson, to have the entire Council and the entire Council meet together to discuss the provisions of Chapter 8. AMENDMENT offered by Commissioner Timm that there be a tight agenda agreed to the Mayor and the Commission Chair and that some procedural rules for discussion be defined." Working within these parameters, the Mayor and I did agree on a tight agenda and some procedural rules. However, on February 21 2013, the Mayor went before the Commission to renegotiate that agreement. The Commission voted to reject the Mayor's agenda and adopt the original agreed-upon agenda, which I had presented. As you know, on April 23, 2013 the Commission proposed two joint meeting dates, May 16 and May 30. An official response to an official invitation is a minimal expectation, but Council chose to ignore the invitation, failing not only to respond, but also failing to even discuss the matter. Three months have elapsed, and a joint meeting has never been on any City Council agenda. Your July 23 correspondence is merely a personal e-mail aimed at disguising Council's inaction, and the Charter commission will not be used by you to promote your personal agenda. What is taking place here is in fact an under the table solicitation to induce the Commission to initiate something on your terms. The Mayor stated on February 21 that "Council is not driving this," and it is now apparent that you seek to push the Commission into the driver's seat of your vehicle on your road aimed in the direction of your choosing. As always, the Charter Commission is willing to honor formal and proper requests from the City Council. However, even after three months, we haven't received such a request. Attempted misrepresentations such as these only serve to promote mistrust. It is not in the best interests of anyone, be it Council, Commission, or the residents, to be party to such inappropriateness. The Charter commission will not be party to this. To be clear, I will not legitimize your personal email by forwarding it through the office of the Chair to the Charter Commission. It is my most sincere wish that the Mayor and Council abandon these kinds of practices and instead begin to deal with the Commission in good faith, rather than employing Chicago politics. I look forward to the day when you recognize that dealing in an open, honest, and fair manner is the only way to truly resolve any differences and/or arrive at the best outcome for all concerned. Sincerely, Christopher Lyden, Chair Lino Lakes Charter Commission