HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-05-2005 Charter Minutes 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
government simple so citizens and officials understand it, workable and centralized. A good
charter encourages and rewards expertise and efficiency in the administration of the city.
Discussion moved to the functions of a charter commission and Ms. Retzer referred to page 4-9
in the Handbook document. Frequency of meetings was reviewed: The Charter Commission
must meet once a year. Meetings are held to study the city and the charter and contemplate
changes (frame and amend).
There was discussion on who can the commission consult with regarding existing
research/options.
Ms. Retzer concluded the evening presentation by offering consultation services available from
the League of Cities, which can offer solid provisions and references why the Home Rule
Charter City document reads the way it does. They can also assist with an annual law summary
and compare other City documents. For new Lino Lakes Commissions, they can provide an
orientation to Home Rule at no charge. She also provided a reference "Model City Charter,
National Civic League publication, eighth edition, 2003 and the web page for this organization:
www.ncl.or .
The Commission thanked Ms. Retzer for her review and time.
Discussion:
Commissioners received a letter from the City Council apologizing for the late communication
regarding the Council decision not to meet jointly on April 14.
Further discussion evolved to the sharing of a communication (e-mail) from Gordon Heitke, City
Administrator by Commissioner Bor. Ms. Bor shared components of this communication with
the Commissioners present, stating that she hoped for improved communication between the
City Staff and the Commission. Mr. Heitke's stated in the e-mail that he hopes that the session
with the League of Minnesota Cities staff attorney was beneficial. He expressed a desire to
improve the tone of communications between the Commission and City staff. He stated in the e-
mail that it is "not staff s place to change the charter provisions." This was made in reference to
the pavement management documents where it is the staff s responsibility to inform Council of
the impacts of the charter provisions. Mr. Heitke's e-mail ended with the following statement:
"Whether there is any need to amend the charter is up to the charter commission, city council and
public as described in the statutes."
General discussion between Commissioners occurred in regards to the accounting inquiries in
regards to the assigned expense to the charter budget and the staff response to the Commission's
inquires regarding this matter.
The next Charter Commission meeting is scheduled for August 4, 2005.
Meeting was closed by Chairperson Trehus at approximately 9:15 p.m.
Meeting Summary submitted by Barbara Bor