Agenda Packets - 2017/02/13 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council January 23, 2017 Regular Meeting Page 7 1 Mayor Mueller agreed and recommended staff proceed with the hire of Ms. Kane. 2 3 3. Review Charter Commission Questions RE: Charter Section 4.05. 4 5 City Administrator Ericson reviewed several questions from the Charter Commission regarding 6 Charter Section 4.05, which was the portion of City Code relating to the filling of a vacant seat 7 on the City Council. He discussed the Charter requirements in further detail noting the City 8 would have to have hold a Special Election, which would cost roughly $10,000, in order to fill 9 the vacancy. Another for the Council to consider would be to appoint a Mounds View resident to 10 the vacancy if the opening was for less than two years. 11 12 City Administrator Ericson stated the Charter Commission was seeking clarifying information on 13 several questions. These questions were read in full to the Council and staff requested feedback 14 on how to proceed. 15 16 Council Member Gunn discussed the pros and cons of holding a Special Election. She 17 commented on the great amount of staff time that would be spent on this election and how low 18 the voter turnout would be. She supported a Special Election not being held unless there were 19 two years remaining on a term. She understood other cities have appointed City Council 20 members and this has worked out quite well. 21 22 Council Member Hull agreed with Council Member Gunn’s comments and stated he supported 23 the proposed changes to the Charter. 24 25 Council Member Meehlhause was in favor of holding a Special Election for seats that had over 26 two years remaining. He discussed the Special Election process, along with the staff time and 27 cost involved. He did not believe it made sense to hold a Special Election when an individual 28 would serve for less than a year or 15 months. He described his sons experience with the City 29 Council in Bemidji. 30 31 Mayor Mueller stated she did not know the history of those who wrote the Charter. She 32 understood there were some contentious times at the Council dais over the years and for this 33 reason, a Council appointment could assist in advancing a personal agenda. While she hoped 34 this would never happen in the City of Mounds View, she understood the reason for the Charter 35 being drafted as is. She supported a Special Election being held for seats with an opening more 36 than 365 days. She understood there were Council’s that did not work well together and it was 37 her hope Mounds View could avoid this situation at all cost. She did not want to see a Mayoral 38 appointment become controversial or an area of contention for the City. She knew there would 39 be a staff time and cost savings if the Special Election were eliminated, however she supported 40 the Charter as written. 41 42 City Attorney Riggs advised the Council on the other Charter cities he represented noting each 43 had a two-year time period for Special Elections, except for Mounds View. He reported this was 44 the requirement for statutory cities with the State as well. 45