08/11/2008 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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The newsletter is to inform the readers about current city topics. Staff wrote the following charter article based on what information is available currently: Charter amendment may be on November ballot Citizens of Lino Lakes may see a local ballot question this November that would propose to amend the process in the Lino Lakes City Charter for financing public improvements, including road improvements. Earlier this year the city council proposed an amendment to the city charter, based on a special council - initiated citizen task force recommendation. The current charter requires a city-wide vote to construct a public improvement that is financed in part by assessments to benefiting property owners and in part by the city's general fund. The proposed amendment preserves the right of citizens by allowing the affected property owners to decide whether a proposed project proceeds to construction, but eliminates the need for a city-wide referendum. The Lino Lakes Charter Commission, a separate entity that is appointed by a district judge to frame and amend the city charter, reviewed the amendment and rejected it in favor of the current charter requirements. Under Minnesota law, the council may still place its proposed amendment on the ballot. That decision will be made in September, and information will be available to residents to inform them of the proposed change. The city and the charter commission encourage the citizens of Lino Lakes to carefully study the potential changes to the city charter and cast an informed ballot in November. I did not include the charter commission's website address since it is still under construction and it did not seem reasonable to put the information in a city newsletter without the ability to review it. As requested by Cori Duffy, I sent the article to her so that she was aware of what was going in the newsletter. Her response to the article is attached. Requested Council Direction Staff would like direction from the council regarding the use of the city newsletter for communications by the charter commission. The newsletter will be going to the printer August 18.