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unanimous, and a Comprehensive Plan Amendment need could not be <br />addressed because this requires four votes to approve the change. <br />My primary purpose for speaking tonight is I believe the Charter Commission <br />needs to revisit the process for filling an open Council seat when the seat is <br />going to be vacant for 5+ months. I support filling the seat as soon as a special <br />election can be held. However, I believe there should be some Charter <br />approved appointment process to temporarily fill the vacancy until the <br />election can occur. A statuary City has this option, and it was exercised in <br />2022 by both Shoreview and Arden Hills, and in Shoreview's situation the <br />vacancy occurred in the 4t' year of the Council term. <br />I recognize the Charter Commission has in the past expressed concern about <br />the appointment process possibly resulting in the Council majority appointing <br />a "friend" who they may have also recruited. <br />I have a recommendation for the Commission to consider if there is <br />willingness to discuss a temporary Council appointment process. The Charter <br />could identify an appointment process that designates the following City <br />Commission Chairs as the temporary vacancy replacement until the election is <br />held. Just as there is a succession sequence for the office of President of the <br />United States (Vice -President, Speaker of the House, etc.) I would recommend <br />the following sequential succession for temporarily filling a vacate Council <br />seat could be established in the Charter: <br />1. Current Charter Commission Chair <br />2. Current Planning Commission Chair <br />3. Current Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Commission Chair <br />4. Current Charter Commission Vice -Chair <br />This identified approach takes away the Council choosing the "temporary" <br />replacement. In fact, as you well know the Council has no ultimate say in the <br />appointment of Charter Commission members nor its Chair and Vice -Chair <br />selections. The Council does appoint members to the City Commissions and <br />approves the Commission Chairs. However, these appointments and <br />approvals usually following the Commission's recommendations. <br />The temporary appointee would continue to serve on their Commission, but <br />would temporarily step aside as the Committee's Chair during their <br />temporary City Council assignment. <br />3 <br />