HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/08/2008 Council Minutes (2)CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION September 8, 2008
APPROVED
•1 CITY OF LINO LAKES
2 MINUTES
3 CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL WORK SESSION
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5 DATE : September 8, 2008
6 TIME STARTED : 6:03 p.m.
7 TIME ENDED : 6:30 p.m.
8 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council Members O'Donnell, Reinert, Gallup,
9 Stoltz and Mayor Bergeson
10 MEMBERS ABSENT : none
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13 Staff members present: City Administrator, Gordon Heitke; Director of Public Safety,
14 Dave Pecchia; City Clerk, Julie Bartell
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16 Ballot Language for Charter Amendment — City Clerk Bartell distributed an e-mail
17 communication from concerned citizen Michael Trehus that includes his recommendation
18 for ballot language. Mr. Bubul suggested that, in his opinion, the proposed language
19 would not be appropriate because it is too slanted.
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21 The Council had received a memorandum from Attorney Steven Bubul, Kennedy &
22 Graven law firm, who is providing counsel to the city in matters relative to a charter
23 amendment. Based on previous council direction, Mr. Bubul provided the council with
• 24 three options for ballot language for the citizen petitioned charter amendment: simply
25 stating the text of the amendment; describing the text of the amendment and indicating that
26 the amendment would change assessment procedures; and describing the text of the
27 amendment and highlighting that two features of the existing charter would change. He is
28 recommending either Option A or B because Option C includes specifics about the change
29 to the current procedure and that could raise questions about whether or not the ballot
30 language should also include specifics about Chapter 429. As an example of the reasoning
31 not to include specifics, Mr. Bubul noted that when a charter is originally passed,
32 according to statute, the ballot question includes no specifics about the charter but just
33 whether or not the charter is approved. There should also be consideration that the
34 amendment comes forward as a petition.
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36 The council discussed the possibility of adding some explanation of the referendum
37 process that is the cornerstone of the current procedure. It is important to provide enough
38 information to the voters and still remain neutral.
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40 It was noted by a council member that school referendum questions include a reference to
41 a tax increase and that may be appropriate in this case. There was not council concurrence
42 on including that type of reference. Mr. Bubul noted that there is not a specific amount of
43 money involved as there is with school referendums.
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45 There was concurrence to consider at the regular council meeting the following ballot
.46 language:
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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION -2- September 8, 2008
APPROVED
48 Should Chapter 8 of the City of Lino Lakes charter be amended to authorize the
49 financing of special assessments using the procedures of Minnesota Statutes,
50 Chapter 429 instead of current City Charter procedures that include a city-wide
51 referendum for most improvements?
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53 There were two individuals present who were involved in the petition process; one
54 expressed that the proposed ballot language is basically acceptable to him; the other
55 individual expressed that he would prefer Option A.
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57 It was noted that the communication plan to inform the public will be key.
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59 A council member expressed concern that it will be extremely difficult to inform the public
60 about an amendment to the charter; most residents don't have knowledge about the charter
61 itself.
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63 Charter Commission Charter Amendment Proposal - The council had received a
64 communication from the Charter Commission requesting approval of ballot language for a
65 charter amendment proposal they may bring forward (the commission was scheduled to
66 meet on September 10, 2008). Mr. Bubul had provided the council and the charter
67 commission with an opinion that the amendment was not within the required time frame
68 and therefore there is no possibility of putting it on the ballot.
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70 The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
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72 These minutes were considered, corrected and approved at the regular Council meeting
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77 Juliantfe Bartell, Cify Clerk Yohn Bergeson, Mayor
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held on September 22, 2008.