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Mounds View Charter Commission Minutes — DRAFT <br />Tuesday, March 18, 2025 <br />acting mayor become the mayor, then the council fills the new council member vacancy. A. Urlacher <br />agreed with G. Quick's position. K. Mills suggested that the appointed mayor would become mayor, but <br />the acting mayor would continue to run the meetings, leaving statutory issues with the appointed mayor. <br />Chair R. Warren asked city attorney if there was simple language that could be added to move acting <br />mayor to the appointed mayor and then appoint a council member? City Attorney J. Sathe said it is not <br />possible, but it is possible to add language stating “the acting mayor, except for statutory requirements, <br />will chair council meetings and continue to perform all non-statute mayoral duties.” B. Amundsen said <br />he thought the current language already stated that, but J. Sathe thought it could use additional <br />clarification. R. Scholl asked if any additional charter language was needed. J. Sathe said that it could be <br />needed. City Administrator N. Zikmund suggested that J. Sathe draft language, pass it by B. Amundsen, <br />and then send to N. Zikmund. Chair R. Warren asked if the language would come to the next commission <br />meeting. City attorney J. Sathe said “yes”, but also asked if everyone is in agreement to do a repeal and <br />replace resolution, rather than red-line editing method. Consensus was to do a repeal and replacement. <br />MOTION, by G. Quick, and seconded, by R. Scholl, directing Joe Sathe to draft language having <br />appointed mayor position only do the statutory required duties, while the acting mayor will <br />continue doing all other mayor duties. Discussion occurred. MOTION was withdrawn by maker <br />and seconder. <br />City attorney J. Sathe stated he would draft language for the statutory duties and ceremonial duties to be <br />bifurcated in the language. <br /> Chair R. Warren said that the council's next concern was the council requirement to vote to appoint <br />the candidate and questioned if the appointment could be automatic, without council action. City attorney <br />J. Sathe recommended not making it totally automatic and suggested the language should say the council <br />needs only a majority vote to appoint rather than making the vote automatically non-discretionary. <br /> City attorney asked for commission clarification on a some items. First about timing duration for <br />appointment, should it be 30 days after a vacancy resolution is passed for the appointment to occur. <br />There was consensus for the 30 days. Commissioners also asked the city attorney to make sure language <br />covers staff temporary absences would not delay an appointment. <br /> B. Amundsen asked J. Sathe to go through the September 19, 2024, memo to assure that the items are <br />now addressed. The first item is should the city administrator or city clerk talk with candidates, since this <br />is an election issue. City attorney said he'd look at it to be consistent with other parts of our charter <br />language. The second item is a city code issue; the city attorney said it is a council issue not commission <br />task.. The third item is if 4.05 and 2.05 should reference each other, and J. Sathe said it will be included <br />in new draft language. The fourth item is about mayoral duties, which has already been extensively <br />discussed and will be addressed by the new draft language. The fifth item was about appointments at <br />regular election time and how to allow the person getting the most votes at a regular election to be <br />immediately appointed if a vacancy exits. After many scenario discussions, J. Sathe asked if he could re- <br />look at potential problem scenarios and report back in the draft language. City attorney asked if the final <br />issue of lowering the threshold to a majority vote for appointment is acceptable. There was no objection <br />to this language. <br /> Chair R. Warren asked if everyone was in agreement with the number and order of the appointees? <br />Consensus was to move Charter Vice Chair to second on list and add two more positions. <br /> K. Mills asked if there is any compensation issue with the role of mayor and acting mayor. G. <br />Meehlhause, the prior acting mayor, indicated compensation was increased during the mayor's vacancy to <br />the acting mayor.. <br /> R. Warren asked if there was any further discussion. After hearing none, Chair R. Warren closed the <br />discussion. <br />8.New Business <br /> None discussed. <br />Page 2 of 3 <br />5 <br />50 <br />55 <br />60 <br />65 <br />70 <br />75 <br />80 <br />85 <br />90 <br />95