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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025 03-18 Approved MinutesMounds View Charter Commission Minutes — APPROVED Tuesday, March 18, 2025 1.Call to Order. Regular meeting came to order at 8:02 PM. Rebecca Scholl had not returned from the break between meetings. 2.Roll Call. Present: B. Amundsen, E. James, M. Meehan, K. Mills, J. Peterson, G. Quick, R. Scholl, A. Urlacher, R. Warren Excused: Absent: Also present: Council Liaison Gary Meehlhause, City Administrator Nyle Zikmund, City Attorney Joe Sathe 3.Approval of Agenda and Minutes . A. Approve Agenda. Chair R. Warren introduced the Preliminary Agenda. Discussion was requested. MOTION made, by E. James, and seconded, by M. Meehan, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion Adopted 8-0. B. Approve Minutes. Chair R. Warren asked for review of the Secretary's January 21, 2025, Meeting Minutes. Discussion occurred. MOTION made, by J. Peterson, and seconded, by A. Urlacher, to approve the Meeting Minutes as presented. Motion Adopted 8-0. 4.Citizen's Comments from the Floor. None presented. 5.Reports of Chair. Chair R. Warren announced that the commission had a spirited discussion with the council and appreciated everyone's attendance. 6.Reports of Members. Secretary B. Amundsen reported that the latest 2023 version of the Charter is now on the website, along with Bylaws. Additionally, the process of amending the charter has been received from city attorney J. Sathe and it will be posted on the website shortly. Gary Quick left the meeting. 7.Unfinished Business. A. Discussion of Chapter 4 Nominations and Elections – 4.05 Vacancy appointment allowance . Chair R. Warren requested that the commission discuss the item and what they heard in the earlier joint meeting. M. Meehan asked what issues need to be addressed. E. James said it seems that lack of experience is a council concern with appointee taking on mayoral responsibilities. Chair R. Warren thought he heard that even if the mayor's position is vacant, an appointment should only fill a council member position and not the mayor position. Rebecca Scholl and Gary Quick returned to the meeting. G. Quick agreed that the appointee should not become mayor due to lack of experience, and proposes the Page 1 of 3 Mounds View Charter Commission Minutes — APPROVED Tuesday, March 18, 2025 acting mayor become the mayor, then the council fills the new council member vacancy. A. Urlacher agreed with G. Quick's position. K. Mills suggested that the appointed mayor would become mayor, but the acting mayor would continue to run the meetings, leaving statutory issues with the appointed mayor. Chair R. Warren asked city attorney if there was simple language that could be added to move acting mayor to the appointed mayor and then appoint a council member? City Attorney J. Sathe said it is not possible, but it is possible to add language stating “the acting mayor, except for statutory requirements, will chair council meetings and continue to perform all non-statute mayoral duties.” B. Amundsen said he thought the current language already stated that, but J. Sathe thought it could use additional clarification. R. Scholl asked if any additional charter language was needed. J. Sathe said that it could be needed. City Administrator N. Zikmund suggested that J. Sathe draft language, pass it by B. Amundsen, and then send to N. Zikmund. Chair R. Warren asked if the language would come to the next commission meeting. City attorney J. Sathe said “yes”, but also asked if everyone is in agreement to do a repeal and replace resolution, rather than red-line editing method. Consensus was to do a repeal and replacement. MOTION, by G. Quick, and seconded, by R. Scholl, directing Joe Sathe to draft language having appointed mayor position only do the statutory required duties, while the acting mayor will continue doing all other mayor duties. Discussion occurred. MOTION was withdrawn by maker and seconder. City attorney J. Sathe stated he would draft language for the statutory duties and ceremonial duties to be bifurcated in the language. Chair R. Warren said that the council's next concern was the council requirement to vote to appoint the candidate and questioned if the appointment could be automatic, without council action. City attorney J. Sathe recommended not making it totally automatic and suggested the language should say the council needs only a majority vote to appoint rather than making the vote automatically non-discretionary. City attorney asked for commission clarification on a some items. First about timing duration for appointment, should it be 30 days after a vacancy resolution is passed for the appointment to occur. There was consensus for the 30 days. Commissioners also asked the city attorney to make sure language covers staff temporary absences would not delay an appointment. B. Amundsen asked J. Sathe to go through the September 19, 2024, memo to assure that the items are now addressed. The first item is should the city administrator or city clerk talk with candidates, since this is an election issue. City attorney said he'd look at it to be consistent with other parts of our charter language. The second item is a city code issue; the city attorney said it is a council issue not commission task. The third item is if 4.05 and 2.05 should reference each other, and J. Sathe said it will be included in new draft language. The fourth item is about mayoral duties, which has already been extensively discussed and will be addressed by the new draft language. The fifth item was about appointments at regular election time and how to allow the person getting the most votes at a regular election to be immediately appointed if a vacancy exits. After many scenario discussions, J. Sathe asked if he could re- look at potential problem scenarios and report back in the draft language. City attorney asked if the final issue of lowering the threshold to a majority vote for appointment is acceptable. There was no objection to this language. Chair R. Warren asked if everyone was in agreement with the number and order of the appointees? Consensus was to move Charter Vice Chair to second on list and add two more positions. K. Mills asked if there is any compensation issue with the role of mayor and acting mayor. G. Meehlhause, the prior acting mayor, indicated compensation was increased during the mayor's vacancy to the acting mayor. R. Warren asked if there was any further discussion. After hearing none, Chair R. Warren closed the discussion. 8.New Business None discussed. Page 2 of 3 Mounds View Charter Commission Minutes — APPROVED Tuesday, March 18, 2025 9.Next Regular Meeting. The next regular meeting of the Commission is May 20, at 6:30 PM. Secretary B. Amundsen asked if the commission would like to start on the city administrator's list of items. City Administrator N. Zikmund said the priority would be the street financing and levy issue. There were no objections to adding the item to the agenda. 10.Adjournment: With no other items for the Commission to consider, Chair R. Warren asked for motion to adjourn. MOTION made, by E. James, and seconded, by G. Quick, to adjourn. MOTION approved 9-0. Meeting adjourned at 9:04 PM. Respectfully submitted, Brian Amundsen, Secretary, Charter Commission of Mounds View MN Approved, as amended, by Charter Commission, on May 20, 2025. Attesting, Brian Amundsen, Secretary, Charter Commission of Mounds View, MN Page 3 of 3