Ericson and KG Memos on Commission Membeship

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Item No: 3 Meeting Date: October 6, 2014 Type of Business: Work Session City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: James Ericson, City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Joint Meeting with the Charter Commission Introduction: Through the Mayor, the City Council has expressed a desire to meet with the Charter Commission to discuss membership levels in light of the low number of appointed participants. Members apply to and are appointed by the Ramsey County District Court, however there haven’t been any applicants in some time for County consideration. The intent of the joint meeting is to address the existing membership deficiency and to formulate appropriate strategies. Discussion: The Charter Commission is authorized to have eleven members, however their number has dropped to five, often with only three members attending a meeting. It has been suggested that a Charter Commission, not unlike a City Council, needs to operate at full capacity, with a quorum assuming full capacity (in other words, six members.) Both the City Council and the Charter Commission have announced the openings during their respective meetings; and despite advertisements in the newspapers, on the Cable TV channel and the website, residents are not lining up to volunteer their time on the Commission. Staff has also been in communication with the District Court regarding the declining membership and asked if perhaps they had any pending applications (no) and if they had any recommendations to address the declining membership. The Court declined to provide any suggestions, indicating that it was not their role to do so. Recommendation: Staff recommends the Council discuss the issue of membership with the Charter Commission and determine what actions, if any, can be taken to address the deficiency. Respectfully submitted, ________________________ James Ericson City Administrator