05-05-2005 Charter Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

MINUTES LINO LAKES CHARTER COMMISSION SPECIAL INFORMATIONAL MEETING Date: May 5, 2005 Time Started: 7:05 p.m. Time Ended: 9:10 P.M. Commissioners Present: Rosemary Storberg, Caroline Dahl, Richard Williams, Tom Vacha, Don Aldentaler, Cori Duffy, Mike Trehus, Barbara Bor, Harry Carlson, Lisa Handrick. Citizen Representation: Bob Bening Note: Charter Commissioner Dahl stated City Administrator, Gordon Hietke, requested that the session be taped and Commissioner Dahl took responsibility for this request. Chair Trehus asked for a Commissioner volunteer to take minutes for the information session. Commission Bor offered to do this. Informational Session summary: The League of Minnesota Cities (Ms. Rylee Retzer, Staff Attorney)presented this evening regarding charter cities. Ms. Retzer introduced herself and the intent of her presentation. 1. She was not speaking to Lino Lakes' specific charter in terms of legal inquires. That would be the role of the Lino Lakes City Attorney. 2. She would speak and entertain discussion of Charter City vs Statutory City governments. 3. City Council governance demographics and forms of government would be reviewed. Ms. Retzer provided a handout that summarized this information. Ms. Retzer spoke to the advantages of Home Rule. This allowed for local decision making. Home rule invites involvement of citizens in terms of expressing powers in their city, as long as there is not conflict with state laws. Voters in home rule cities have more control over their city's powers. Conversely, Statutory governments must have state input for change. Ms. Retzer referred to page 4.6 from the Handbook for Minnesota Cities, for a complete summary of advantages of a home rule charter. An adopted charter is a city's basic form of government. The charter can be changed with a referendum or amendment. Ms. Retzer reviewed how an amendment to the charter can be created: proposal by the charter commission; citizen petition, proposal by Council, recommendation by the City commission to Council for an ordinance change which doesn't have to be voted on; or by Council proposal in very small cities (10,000 population or less); see page 4-13 of the Handbook for Cities, Amendments to the charter. Ms. Retzer went on to discuss what makes a good charter. A good city charter provides a workable, responsive organization of the city government. A charter that keeps the level of