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City of Lino Lakes Home Rule Charter Commission <br /> 2005 Annual Report <br /> In 2005 the Lino Lakes Charter commission saw or participated in the following developments: <br /> • Discussion of the city's 5-year financial plan which had not been updated per city charter, <br /> • Discussion of the city's Pavement Management Plan,and that it did not contain a <br /> communication plan, <br /> • A request by the Commission that the city revise its financial records for 2004 such that they <br /> do not indicate the Commission spent monies for attorneys fees when in fact it was city staff <br /> that directed the expenditures. This request was not granted,however, some modification of <br /> how expenditures related to the city charter are recorded has been considered. <br /> • The creation and adoption of an application form to be used by candidates for membership on <br /> the commission, <br /> • Discussion of other charter cities in Minnesota, <br /> • The cancellation of the annual 4/14/05 joint meeting between the city council and the charter <br /> commission,which occurred minutes before the meeting was to take place. The city council <br /> had met previously on 4/6/05 and discussed charter cities with an attorney from the League of <br /> Minnesota Cities. Subsequent questions from council members arose,resulting in a letter <br /> from City Attorney Bill Hawkins clarifying the powers of the charter commission on 4/12/05. <br /> On 4/14/05, a letter from City Attorney Barry Sullivan was drafted citing"unresolved" <br /> "fundamental issues regarding the role and authority of the City Council and the Charter <br /> Commission,"and advised that a joint meeting should not occur until both groups"have the <br /> opportunity to consider the important information that the LMC(League of Minnesota Cities) <br /> attorney will provide." Who actually cancelled the regularly scheduled annual joint meeting <br /> is unknown,but an apology from the City Council to the commission over the"unfortunate <br /> timing of the events"was submitted on 5I4/05, <br /> • The meeting with LMC,which had been planned in January for July,was moved to a special <br /> commission meeting on 5/5/05, <br /> • A road reconstruction project in the Shenandoah area was initiated by the city. This project <br /> was subsequently refused by a majority of the affected residents via a petition against the <br /> project(as provided for under the charter). <br /> • A road reconstruction and city utilities project in the West Shadow Lake Drive area was <br /> initiated by the city. This project went to a referendum in November and failed by a 5-3 <br /> margin. This result was likely influenced by the mixed opinions of the affected residents, as <br /> there were numerous signs put up throughout the city prior to the election that said both <br /> "please vote `yes' for our road"and"please vote `no,' on West Shadow Lake Drive," <br /> • The completed Pavement Management Policies document was reviewed, <br /> • Two subsequent invitations to a joint meeting were extended to the City Council, <br /> • A plan to hire a consulting firm for the purpose of communicating to the residents city-wide <br /> concerning road improvement projects and the charter was not approved by the city council, <br /> • A joint meeting with the City Council was held on October 13, 2005. The City Administrator <br /> also attended. The primary topic was the Charter's effect on road reconstruction,and a <br /> willingness to work together in 2006 was expressed by both Council and the Commission. <br /> The discussion on eminent domain implied that this issue should not be addressed by the <br /> Charter. <br /> Respectfully submitted on this 50'day of January, 2006. <br /> Mike Trehus,Chair <br /> Approved this 12'h day of January,2006,by the City of Lino Lakes Charter Commission <br />