Agenda Packets - 1999/08/09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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acknowledgment that it was a different version than what he understood it to be three years ago. Council Member Stigney stated that he would prefer the motion be broken down into three different issues. He stated,in regard to posting and publishing the existing Charter, it should have been done, and if not,the City has been remiss in not doing so.Mayor Coughlin reiterated that this was a means to declare this issue resolved in this regard. Council Member Stigney stated that he opposed it, as it was not Council business.Mayor Coughlin stated that unfortunately,previous Councils had made it their business, and that he felt it necessary to declare it otherwise. Council Member Quick stated that it is the Council's business as duly elected representatives of the people. He added that no Charter Commission Members are elected. Council Member Stigney stated that there are no added provisions to the Charter. Mayor Coughlin stated he was referring to items added to the Charter by the voters, however,he would amend the language again if necessary. Ms. Olson stated that it should be indicated as the current February 13, 1995 Charter. Mayor Coughlin stated that he would amend the motion pursuant to the recommendation of Ms. Olson, the current Chair of the Charter Commission. Council Member Thomason stated that she would agree to that amendment. Ms. Olson inquired if the Council would consider a separate stipulation to the motion to request that the Council will provide additional expenditure for attorney fees at the same time, in order to facilitate the Council's request that the Charter Commission review the Charter for unconstitutional items. Mayor Coughlin stated that he would prefer an actual document requesting specific funding, rather than a request for an ambiguous amount. Ms. Olson stated that if they bring this motion forward at the present meeting,and request the Charter Commission to review those items,they would not able accommodate the request unless the Council extends additional attorney fees for that purpose. She stated that if Council so desired,they could come back before the Council with a document to that effect in the future. Mayor Coughlin requested that they utilize the League of Minnesota Cities' staff,as the Charter Commission has already done,adding that the services are free of charge as they are dues payers. He requested that they do whatever is required outside of the purview of expending additional taxpayer dollars. Ms. Olson stated this was not fair or right, in light of the documentation, which came from the League of Minnesota Cities,which states that the League of Minnesota Cities' attorneys are not for the citizens, for their Constitution,nor for the Charter. She explained that they are on opposite sides of the fence. She stated that he would be asking them to take direction based upon something that would not be legal counsel for the citizens. Mayor Coughlin stated that what he was requesting is to put the matter back in the realm of the Charter Commission. He stated there are several instances where items are not in keeping with the State Constitution,and he would ask that the Charter Commission be allowed to dialogue as a group, prior to a major expenditure of legal fees by anyone. Ms. Olson stated,because the Charter Commission was presently working on some very important 22C:\ADMIN\MINUTES\CC\072699CC.MIN