04-06-92 CCM - Laserfiche WebLink

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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 6, 1992 2 Steve DeLapp, 8468 Lake Jane Trail, indicated he received a copy of an 18 page letter with exhibits written to the Met Council by Mayor Johnson and Councilman Mottaz. Who paid for the distribution of these 30 copies? When did the City Council authorize two of the Council members to write a letter in their official capacities as Mayor and Council person? Do the other council members think it is appropriate or inappropriate for information to be provided to them thru the City Administrator's office? Mayor Johnson explained that the comments made in this letter to the Met Council were relative to a letter they (Met Council) mailed to the City Administrator covering policy and procedure issues. Policy and procedure issues should be addressed to the council and not to the city administrator. In particular, they stated a conclusion that the Mayor and Councilman Mottaz have disagreed with. The letter asked a Met Council staff member to address future correspondence on policy and procedure issues to the City Council and further goes into the reasons. Copies were made by himself on the City's copy machine for every Council member and all the planning commissioners for the purpose of putting together the comp plan and the latest amendment. Councilman Mottaz commented it was entirely appropriate for him to make a statement as city council person whenever he chooses without getting permission from this council or anyone else as long as he is not stating a position of the city or making some claim to be speaking for the city. Councilman Johnson felt it was totally appropriate for the city administrator to ask for and receive a position from the Met Council as to what their understanding as to the status of the Lake Elmo Comp Plan. The Council should receive all communication regarding policy issues and felt this information has been communicated back to the Council. The letter even though not written on city letterhead leads to some confusion on the part of the Met Council and accomplishes nothing. The issue about what Comp Plan we are under is much to do about nothing because the Future Land Use Map in the 1990 document is the map we will operate under. Councilman Hunt indicated he felt the letter takes a strong stance and almost implies the City Administrator has not done a good job of communicating to the Council when quite literally she had done an excellent job. Although the letter from the Met Council was sent to the city administrator a copy was communicated to the entire council. The council sets policy and the staff are the people who implements those policies in the city. Any individual on the Council has no more power on setting policy or running the City than any other person in the entire City.