Minutes - Charter Commission - 06/01/1995 - Special Meeting

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CHARTER COMMISSION CITY OF RAMSEY ANOKA COUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA The Ramsey City Charter conducted a special meeting on Thursday, June 1, 1995, at the Ramsey Municipal Center, 15153 Nowthen Boulevard N.W., Ramsey, Minnesota. Members Present: Chairperson Bernard Steffen Commissioner Dennis Donovan Commissioner John Goode (arrived 7:20 p.m.) Commissioner Keith Kiefer Commissioner Judy Marn Commissioner Richard Netzloff Commissioner Virginia Spain-Brist Members Absent: Commissioner Rodney Nelson Commissioner Jay Swokowski Also Present: Ryan Schroeder, City Administrator CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Steffen called the special meeting of the Charter Commission to order at 7:03 p.m. COMMISSION BUSINESS: Case #1: Charter Amendment Request Chairperson Steffen requested that City Administrator Schroeder provide some background as to the purpose of the meeting and the process to be followed. Mr. Schroeder explained that there had been a petition brought forward for a proposed Charter amendment regarding modification of the Metropolitan Urban Service Area boundary. That being the case, under State law, the issue must be brought to the Charter Commission who then is responsible for passing it back to the City Council. The City Council then has the opportunity to schedule an election on the issue within a 90-day period. They also have the opportunity to either pass upon the proposed Charter amendment in order to avoid the election or to negotiate directly with the circulating committee members in an attempt to determine whether a compromise can be reached. Upon an offer by Chairperson Steffen, Mr. Terry Hendriksen, 15631 Ramsey Boulevard N.W., a member of the Circulating Committee, presented the intentions of the committee. He stated that the intent was not adversarial and it was not intended to go around the Charter Commission but to get the issue moving. Further, that they will negotiate in good faith if the committee can come to an agreement on alternative Charter language. He further stated that why this issue came to pass is that he has been a member of the Planning Commission for many years and he often hears from citizens as to why they moved to Ramsey and he sees an effort from elected Councilmembers and staff members to develop Ramsey in a method that they may see as appropriate, but it is time for citizens to have a greater voice into what part of the City they would like to see urban and what part they would like to see rural in character. He further stated that he had communicated with the Chair and it was his intent that the entire Charter Commission become aware of what's going on. He also stated that he had been hopeful in getting something from the City government as to the proper form of the petition but that he did not get that from the City and, therefore, he hoped that Charter Commission/June 1, 1995 Page 1 of 4