Agenda Packets - 2000/06/12 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council May 22, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 18 The Motioner and Seconder agreed. Council Member Quick moved the question. Mayor Coughlin indicated there was an individual on the Floor who wished to speak. Council Member Quick advised that this motion was in order at any time. Council Member Stigney stated he has not had the opportunity to speak to this issue. Mayor Coughlin stated he did not have his copy of Robert’s Rules of Order, however, he did not believe it was in order to move the question when an individual has the Floor. City Attorney Long advised that recognition of the order of speakers would be the proper call. He advised that it was in order to move the question at any time, however, he believed the Council must acknowledge the speaker, and therefore, the Chair must determine who had the Floor first. Mayor Coughlin advised that the Motioner has first right to the Floor. Council Member Quick stated he would yield the Floor. Council Member Stigney stated he would like to clarify a point that the Mayor had made regarding the previously proposed ordinance which was similar to this ordinance in that it was being submitted under State Statute Chapter 410.12, Subd. 5, and is not required to be. He explained that this only forces the matter on the Council’s direction of a simple majority vote, to place something on the ballot without any rationale behind it or any strong analysis of the facts. Council Member Stigney advised that although the reading was waived, this ordinance proposes to change the Mayor’s term of office from two to four years. He stated one of the checks and balances set forth in the City Charter is to specifically restrict the Mayor’s term to two years, and the reason for this is that it is very difficult to remove someone from office when they are not doing a good job. He explained that although there was a recall process, it was extremely difficult to recall an individual in a Mayoral position. He advised that the founders of the Charter set forth a four-year term for Council Members and a two-year term for Mayor to specifically to limit the Mayor’s term. He explained that this is because the Mayor has the potential to do more things for the City, good or bad, and this provision provides the residents the opportunity to approve the individual for another term after two years, rather than having to wait a four-year span before a correction can be made. Council Member Stigney stated this item should be submitted to the Charter Commission to obtain their opinion and recommendation, and the Charter Commission should submit it back to the Council. He advised that it should not be submitted to the ballot under State Statute 410.12, Subd. 5, as the matter could always go to the ballot after the Charter Commission’s review. He recommended the Council postpone action on this item until the Charter Commission has had the opportunity to review it, and that the matter not be presented under State Statute 410.12, but