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Ms. Ruth White <br /> ` August 17, 1979 <br /> Page 4 <br /> Section 6.02, Subdivision 5 <br /> • <br /> The first sentence uses the term "clerk" when "clerk-administrator" isused through- <br /> out the rest of the charter to identify this office. Consistency is desirable. <br /> Section 6.04 <br /> The last sentence of subdivision 2 appears ambiguous to me. . Maybe the ambiguity <br /> in the charter will be adequately overcome by ordinances, regulations and practice <br /> procedures. I would only note that the words "questions of major policy" are not <br /> legally defined terms established by court decisions to a degree that words like <br /> legislative, administrative and ministerial are so defined. <br /> Section 7.04 <br /> This section puts the responsibility on the city staff to submit a proposed budget <br /> to the council . I would only point out again that that diffuse responsibility <br /> may lead to problems of compliance. <br /> Subdivision 2 of that section provides for a summary of the budget "to be mailed <br /> to residents of the city." How those residents and their addresses are to .be - <br /> determined and what happens if some are missed is not mentioned. Though the courts <br /> are likely to look on such a provision as directory and therefore as not invalidating <br /> actions taken if imperfectly complied with, language like the following taken from <br /> the local improvement code, Section 429.031, might be appropriate: "But failure <br /> to give mailed notice or any defects in the notice shall not invalidate the proceed- <br /> ings." You might also want to include language giving city officials some .reason- <br /> able discretion in means of determining who are residents of the city and where <br /> they might be sent mailed notice. In fact, you might want to reconsider the use of <br /> the term "residents" since this term would seem to include persons not eligible to <br /> vote, i.e. , aliens, children- and incompetents. - <br /> Section 7.05 <br /> Unless the planning commission has some substantial staff or works very closely with <br /> the clerk-administrator or finance officer, they may have considerable difficulty <br /> producing yearly long term financial plans. <br /> Section 7.10 <br /> Subdivision 2 of this section provides for mailing to residents of the city a de- <br /> scription of each bond issue or other obligation planned. -Such a requirement in - , <br /> those terms might well terminate the ability of the city to borrow money on the <br /> public market unless the language is modified in a way that bond counsel can assure <br /> themselves that the requirements of the charter have been complied with completely <br /> prior to the issuance of any bonds. In the absence of a legal opinion from recog- <br /> nized <br /> ecog-nized bond counsel that procedural requirements of charters and statutes have been <br /> complied with prior to issuance, bonds are generally unsalable. The difficulties <br /> of complying' are discussed in my comment on Section 7.04. <br /> • <br /> The requirement for a distribution of the summary of the opinion poll to as many <br />