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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM 1A STAFF ORIGINATOR: Julie Bartell. CAN, Clerk MEETING DATE: October 7, 2013 TOPIC: Consideration of Ordinance No. 04-13 & Ordinance No. 05-13, Amending the Lino Lakes City Charter regarding Nominations and Elections and Public Improvements and Special Assessments VOTE REQUIRED: 5/5 (2°d Reading) INTRODUCTION In 2011, the council forwarded two proposed charter amendments to the Lino Lakes Charter Commission. The amendments concern two areas of the city charter that contain schedules related to elections and that have been impacted by federal and state election schedules. BACKGROUND The United States Congress adopted legislation in 2009 requiring a period of 45 days for absentee ballot voting to allow additional time for military and overseas voting. As a result the Minnesota State Legislature adopted and the governor signed into law legislation that adjusts state election law to accommodate the extended absentee balloting period. These law changes have an impact on the city's election calendar including when the city can receive filings for office and, in the case of special improvement consideration, how long the city has to submit questions to Anoka County for inclusion on the ballot. Since the City of Lino Lakes election regulations are included in the city charter, staff presented suggestions for amendments to the charter to concur with state and federal level changes. Proposed Amendments - 1. Filing for Office. With the change in the absentee voting period,the filing period reflected in Charter Section 4.02 is no longer appropriate. The filing period must occur at least soon enough to allow the city to meet the deadline for getting names on the ballot. 2. Special Improvements. The Lino Lakes City Charter contains provisions relative to public improvements and special assessments (Chapter 8). Language within that section of the charter is also impacted by the above-referenced election law changes. Under current charter language, there would not be sufficient time to meet the deadline for submission of ballot language and meet the charter requirements of: a) a public hearing; b) the passing of 60 days before further action; and c) submission to the voters within 120 days of the public hearing. In order to allow sufficient time to satisfy both the Charter requirements and the ballot notice requirements, it is