HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-08-2009 MinutesLINO LAKES CHARTER COMMISSION
AGENDA
Thursday, October 8, 2009
6:30pm
1. Call to Order and Roll Call 6:30 PM
2. Pledge of Allegiance 6:31 PM
3. Setting the Agenda: Addition or deletion of agenda items 6:32 PM
4. Open Mike / Public Comment 6:35 PM
5. Approval of Minutes: 6:37 PM
July 23, 2009, August 6, 2009, August 23, 2009
6. Old Business
A. Update on Audit of Charter Commission 6:45 PM
B. Update on Budget Requests 6:55 PM
C. Update on Televised Meeting Amendment by Ordinance 7:00 PM
D. Update on Possible Charter Amendments 7:10 PM
E. Update from Commissioner Trehus on the ballot question, 7:25 PM
newsletter, ballot language and related funding
7. New Business
A. Code of Conduct 7:30 PM
B. Open Meeting Law (handout) 7:45 PM
C. Next meeting date, agenda for Thursday, January 7, 2010 7:50 PM
Adjournment 8:00 PM
Caroline Dahl Melissa Stockman Maher Kelly Gunderson
Chair Vice Chair Secretary
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Charter Commission
October 8, 2009
Page 1
APPROVED APRIL 8, 2010
DATE
TIME STARTED
TIME ENDED
MEMBERS PRESENT
MEMBERS EXCUSED
MEMBERS UNEXCUSED
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT
OTHERS PRESENT:
DRAFT
CITY OF LINO LAKES
CHARTER COMMISSION
October 8, 2009
6:55 P.M.
9:05 P.M.
Dahl, Gunderson, Stockman Maher, Storberg, Bretoi,
Trehus, Sutherland, Altendaler, Carlson, Zastrow,
Minar (arrived at 7:25pm)
Drennen, Lyden, Vacha, Williams
None
None
None
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Chair Dahl called the meeting of the Lino Lakes Charter Commission to order at 6:55 p.m. on
October 8, 2009.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Commissioner Trehus added item 6F: Charter Commission appointments.
MOTION by Commissioner Stockman Maher, seconded by Commissioner Carlson, to adopt the
amended agenda. Motion passes unanimously.
OPEN MIKE
No one was present for open mike.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION by Commissioner Zastrow, seconded by Commissioner Sutherland, to approve the
minutes of July 23, 2009. Motion passes unanimously.
MOTION by Commissioner Sutherland, seconded by Commissioner Zastrow, to approve the
minutes of August 6, 2009. Motion passes unanimously.
MOTION by Commissioner Bretoi, seconded by Commissioner Aldentaler, to approve the
minutes of August 20, 2009. Motion passes, Commissioner Sutherland abstains.
Charter Commission
October 8, 2009
Page 2
APPROVED APRIL 8, 2010
44
45 OLD BUSINESS
46
47 A. Audit Update
48 Chair Dahl updated the commission on the audit. Chair Dahl stated that City Clerk Julie Bartell
49 had updated Chair Dahl that a fourth point of the audit came up recently: how the charter
50 commission communicates with the public, as well as televising charter commission meetings.
51
52 Chair Dahl stated she will be checking with other charter cities. Commissioner Trehus asked
53 what is being asked of the Commission through the audit. Commissioner Sutherland stated that
54 the audit is a public statement.
55
56 Commissioner Sutherland updated the Commission on recent City Council work session and
57 meeting regarding the Charter Commission.
58
59 MOTION by Commissioner Sutherland, seconded by Commissioner Stockman Maher, that
60 Chair Dahl investigate other charter cities in Minnesota if they have a Data Practice Policy.
61 Motion passes unanimously.
62
63 Commissioner Minar arrives at 7:25pm.
64
65 B. Budget Request
66
67 Commissioner Sutherland updated that Commission by stating the City Council passed approval
68 to pay the attorney representing the Charter Commission, Ms. Karen Marty, in the amount of
69 $107 for the purpose of "frame and amend." Chair Dahl stated that Ms. Marty said that she will
70 try to collect from the City on the remaining outstanding invoices.
71
72 Commissioner Sutherland stated that the City's approval of future expenses will be judged of
73 purposes of "frame and amend" of the Charter. Commissioner Sutherland stated that Mayor
74 Bergeson has been quoted that the Council was meeting with the Charter Commission on
75 October 10, but the Commission has not received notice of this meeting.
76
77 Commissioner Sutherland stated that according to the audit's opinion, any expenses in 2009 that
78 are deemed not to be for "framing and amending" ought to be reversed.
79
80 C. Update on Televised Meeting Amendment by Ordinance
81
82 On October 5, the City Council did a second reading of the ordinance proposed by the Charter
83 Commission and voted it down with Councilmember Reinert being the only vote for the
84 ordinance. Rationale seemed to be that the Council wanted to draft it's own language and include
85 it as part of the city code.
86
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Charter Commission
October 8, 2009
Page 3
APPROVED APRIL 8, 2010
87 Commissioner Carlson thanked Commissioners Sutherland, Gunderson, Storberg and Chair Dahl
88 for attending the work sessions and meetings in effort to have the language adopted by the City
89 Council. Commissioner Carlson also stated that the Commission has the option to bring the
90 language to a ballot question.
91
92 Commissioner Trehus stated that according to the attorney used by the City for auditing the
93 Charter Commission, City Council work sessions are public meetings.
94
95 D. Update on Possible Charter Amendments
96
97 Commissioner Trehus recapped for the Commission the possible Charter amendments that have
98 been previously discussed: 1. Limit on City Tax Levy, 2. Powers of the Charter Commission, 3.
99 Televising City Council work sessions and meeting "Open Mike."
100
101 Commissioner Minar proposed another possible charter amendment limiting terms of elected
102 officials. Commissioner Minar stated he would research this possible amendment.
103 Commissioner Sutherland asked if current City code would cover the terms of elected officials.
104 Commissioner Carlson stated that Section 2.03 of the Charter defines the terms of City Council.
105 Chair Dahl suggested looking at a provision for term limits could change the Mayor's term of
106 office to four years instead of the current two year term.
107
108 Commissioner Trehus stated he has a list of contacts for other cities' Charter Commissions.
109
110 Commissioner Gunderson suggested that Commissioner Minar do research for the January 2010
111 meeting.
112
113 Commissioner Bretoi departs at 8:30pm.
114
115 E. Update from Commissioner Trehus on Ballot Question, Newsletter, Language and
116 Related Funding.
117
118 MOTION by Commissioner Stockman Maher, seconded by Commissioner Minar, to table the
119 agenda item to the next Commission meeting in January 2010. Motion passes unanimously.
120
121 F. Charter Appointments
122
123 Chair Dahl stated that there are seven (7) open appointments to the Charter Commission. Six (6)
124 commissioners have reapplied and four (4) new applications were received. Chair Dahl has sent
125 all applications to the District Judge.
126
127 NEW BUSINESS
128
129 A. Code of Conduct
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Charter Commission
October 8, 2009
Page 4
APPROVED APRIL 8, 2010
130
131 Chair Dahl introduces the subject to the Commission, stating that she has worked toward a Code
132 of Conduct for the Commission for the past few years. Commissioner Sutherland states she
133 would research the subject. Commissioner Gunderson volunteers to work with Commissioner
134 Sutherland.
135
136 Commissioner Trehus suggests that the City Code may contain a code of conduct.
137
138 Commissioner Gunderson suggests that language be drafted before the January meeting.
139 Commissioner Carlson asks if the language would be included in the Charter's by-laws.
140 Commissioner Sutherland would research where it would be most appropriate.
141
142 Commissioner Minar suggests setting a special meeting for December so a public meeting is held
143 before the end of the year.
144
145 MOTION by Commissioner Sutherland, seconded by Commissioner Minar, for a special meeting
146 of the Charter Commission held on Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 7:OOp for purposes of
147 discussing only Code of Conduct for the Charter Commission.
148
149 Commissioner Trehus calls the question. Motion passes unanimously.
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151
152 ADJOURN
153 MOTION by Commissioner Minar, seconded by Commissioner Sutherland, to adjourn the
154 meeting at 9:05p.m. Motion carried unanimously.
155
156
157 Respectfully Submitted,
158
159 Kelly Gunderson
160 Secretary
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