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Mounds View EDA April 10, 2000 <br />Regular Meeting Page 4 <br /> <br /> <br />City Attorney Long advised that the language of this and other ordinances makes it clear that the <br />intent is that the Council must have some basis for the removal of a commissioner, and could not <br />do so simply because they wanted to, although the just cause standard is a lesser standard than it <br />would be in a public employee situation, because this is an advisory position, which serves at the <br />will and desire of the Council. He pointed out that Council could abolish the entire commission <br />if it so desired, and the commissioners do not have any vested rights or interests to serve. He <br />stated it would have been helpful to have some Case Law to point to pertaining to how the Courts <br />treat these situations, however, there is none. He added there is no similar language pertaining to <br />the advisory positions in the City Code, and this was somewhat of a unique clause. He stated it <br />was his opinion, that if the Authority were to take action to remove the Commissioner, it would <br />want to have, at minimum, the findings that are specified in the resolution that would set forth a <br />basis for cause based upon the correspondence received from the Chamber of Commerce. <br /> <br />Mayor Coughlin stated the resolution before the Council has not been ascribed a number, <br />however, it would be in order for the Motioner and the Seconder to grant latitude to the staff to <br />assign the appropriate number to the document for the record. <br /> <br />MOTION/SECOND: Marty/Thomason. To Approve Resolution No. ______, a Resolution <br />Approving a Request from the Chamber of Commerce to have Julie Olsen Removed from the <br />EDC, as Amended to Include in the File, Separately from the Resolution, for Reference Sake <br />Only, a Copy of the Letter in Question as Published in the New Brighton Bulletin, and to <br />Authorize Staff to Ascribe the Appropriate Number to the Resolution, for the Record. <br /> <br />Vice President Stigney stated that as a military veteran, and also upon taking office as a Council <br />Member, he took an oath of allegiance to support the Constitution of the United States. He stated <br />the First Amendment of the Constitution allows free speech, therefore, if this or any person <br />writes a letter that another finds offensive, it still might be their Constitutional Right to do so. <br />He stated it was interesting to note that this particular letter was published in two newspapers, <br />and neither editor omitted this language that has been referenced by the Chamber President, <br />therefore, they apparently did not feel it to be highly offensive. <br /> <br />Vice President Stigney stated with regard to making a reference to Adolf Hitler, he believed that <br />if these individuals read the letter, they would find that this was actually a quote attributed to <br />Adolf Hitler, and could have been a quote of Saddam Hussein or any other dictator. He advised <br />that if the point of this action is to indicate that people can not express their views in public, the <br />Authority can vote as it sees fit, however, he would not vote in favor of it, as he would not <br />trample on anyone’s First Amendment Rights of the Constitution. <br /> <br />President Coughlin opened the Floor for public comment. <br /> <br />Dr. Greg Belting stated he was a member of the EDC a business owner at Silverview <br />Chiropractic, and also the Chairman of the New Brighton-Mounds View Chamber of Commerce.