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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAG Opinion re Charter Quorums 58c-19540401CHARTER C0j4MISS1C.: not having full complement of 15 members does not have authority to act upon a petition of voters propos- ing amendments. M.S. 1953, § 410.12. i .,glri . 1, 1951 tip. Charles 0. Jobason Attor:aey for r`ankato Chai ter .�orazissi�n 20ij ;o. i,ront Street Mankato, 741n�-- so to "ear Sir : ;.our letter a,�:�.r•.,ssed �-eneral J. A. A. Burnquis t line been ref erreCi the unc;e.rsi f;nec . You have inquire=" :c t;.7 tiv ioli%)win, 'A of FIz-e-- :ol-ers, cor ioial; call, d 'Charter Cora.„aission' vac appoLl.ted by the District Juc�g f'-�r she City :)i F .n :a to on October 15, 1551. :since that tLno, two vecancies have occ-urrAc', oz.e ol which has bec:i milled. tt pzx sor, *L3 ^c, e. are only 14 mem, ers o i' the char ter ;;oriL ais s i.)n. on March 5, 191=4, an Listinmen L consis tine of a Lroup of i;Wtition parcrc f'-r a pro,»seC amend innt to the Homc. I,.ul C:�artcr of the City z)f' •Anikato was 111cd with the Chairman of the Charter Commission. ?'he peti- tion sets out tho nomos anL ac-,dz esses of the: 5 electors who arc, aetin,, as v co.waittee of the petitioners and me resoonsible for the circulr-tion nnt', iilinf•s of the petition. 'Ihe petition sets ou' the complete +Pxt of the propose araendmcits to the k�herrtc°r• and is follown:i by signature sheets anc t„e affidavit o_ tl.e circulc `or as set ou'` in 7-nA 410.12, sub0i-isiun 2. 1.onw of the circulators o.,. ' ` c vnrious petitiouu were not members of the corami'tee of 5 electors. `.rho T)(-titto..s mere nol. submitted to the Charter Co,waitsi:)n pri::r to their cir cul,; tiun. '' "(1an the ?•'.aake-to Charter s{. i tak- Arty. action o.i the petition file, critlh it bi t!.c com.-aittee of (' actors bei:.re tlre Con .I s . =°r:. '..'a: w lull cor-1plem^-n C ut 15 members"? �, Charlos C. JohnsoA -- P. April 1, 1954- A.1M ` R In an opinion oi' this office dated ;,eptember 28, 1950, File 58-G, printeU as iwo. 52 in the 1950 Faeport of the Attorney General, cop-r o1 whicil ie herewith enclosed, it was held that a Charter Comaissioa not having its full complement of 15 members, does not have the authority to propose amendments to a city charter. The same rezasonin& applies to the case in which the amendments to the charter are cropose& can the vetition oY five per cent, of the voters of the city. It is therefore our opinion that a Charter Commission, not having: its full complement Jt. 17 members, does not have the authority to Pet upon r-. F,etif_,:n o, the voters R,roposin a."lend- meats to a city char :,er. In view of our nr.swer t. t:__ al-ove question, i-, becones unnec©ssery to flaswer th - -)tk-, x-s `h-- t -T o;i hav . aske:. . very truly J. A. , .qupiiqur. ' Attorney Ceneral 5pccia.l Assis,.an. Attor-iey General i:n c .