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WS — Item 7 Date: To: WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT Work Session Item #7 March 7, 2011 City Council From: Julie Bartell, City Clerk Jean Viger, Deputy Clerk/Election Liaison Re: Even Year Elections Background In October of last year, the council discussed the idea of changing the municipal election from odd to even year to correspond with state and federal level elections and therefore save on the costs of administering an election. The proposed budget for the city's cost of the 2011 election is $14,060. A change to even year would save the actual expense biyearly. A change would also mean that the staff time devoted to elections during those odd years could be directed to other work. Of note also is that any change to the municipal election year would result in a question regarding the terms of office for the council members and mayor. Changing the election year may result in either the addition or loss of one year to the terms, possibly impacting both sitting council members and those individuals who are up for election/reelection. Since accomplishing a change in election year would require an amendment to the city charter, the council forwarded the matter to the Lino Lakes Charter Commission for their review. The Commission reviewed the matter at their meeting on January 13, 2011 and has forwarded the attached comments. It appears that the commission is not supportive of a change at this time. The council could still pursue an amendment to the charter. The amendment process is governed by state statute which provides more than one method by which a home rule charter can be amended: 1) Petition — a petition meeting the requirements of state law can be submitted by citizens and the question would be brought to the voters; 2) Amendment proposed by the council — the council may propose an amendment by ordinance and, after review by the charter commission, may present it to the voters;