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CHARTER COMMISSION <br />CITY OF RAMSEY <br />ANOKA COUNTY <br /> STATE OF MINNESOTA <br /> <br />The Ramsey Charter Commission conducted its regular meeting on Thursday, July 18, 1991 at the <br />Ramsey Municipal Center, 15153 Nowthen Boulevard N.W., Ramsey, Minnesota 55303. <br /> <br />Members Present: <br /> <br />Chairman Bemard Steffen <br />Commissioner Dennis Donovan <br />Commissioner John Goode <br />Commissioner Judy Mare <br />Commissioner Rodney Nelson <br />Commissioner Fred Stretar <br /> <br />Also Present: <br /> <br />City Administrator Ryan Schroeder <br />City Attorney William Goodrich <br /> <br />Members Absent: <br /> <br />Commissioner Barbara Graen <br />Commissioner Richard Netzloff <br />Commissioner Jay Swokowski <br /> <br />CALL TO ORDER <br /> <br />Chairman Steffen called the Charter Commission meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. <br /> <br />APPROVE AGENDA <br /> <br />Motion by Commissioner Goode and seconded by Commissioner Nelson to approve the agenda as <br />presented. <br /> <br />Motion carried. Voting Yes: Chairman Steffen, Commissioners Goode, Nelson, Donovan, Marn <br />and Stretar. Voting No: None. Absent: Commissioners Graen~. Netzloff and Swokowski. <br /> <br />Case #1: Informal Discussion Regarding the Future Activities of the Charter <br /> Commission <br /> <br />Chairman Steffen stated that the Commission has new members and suggested the entire <br />Commission, along with the City Administrator, City Attorney and Recording Secretary, give a <br />self-introduction and a brief background of themselves. <br /> <br />City Administrator Schroeder stated that the Charter sets the "game rules" for how the City <br />Government is run. Council passes the ordinances, but the rules are the Charter. Cities may also <br />be governed by statutory rules. He added that the Charter is fairly similar to provisions in State <br />Statutes. The chapter on utilities states that any increase in fees must occur by ordinance meaning <br />if City Council determines the water utility needs a 10¢ increase, the entire ordinance process must <br />be gone through. Mr. Schroeder suggested considering the establishment of utility rates be set by <br />resolution rather than by ordinance. He explained that once a year, City Council goes through the <br />fees and changes or keeps the same fee, by passing a resolution. If the utility rates could also be <br />set at the same time, the expense of publishing an ordinance could be alleviated. <br /> <br />City Attorney Goodrich stated there are no "burning issues" but the Charter English could be <br />improved upon. He stated the Charter basically follows the Charter set up by the City of Mounds <br />View. He stated that Chapter 8 is a petitioning utility. Without a Charter, State Statute allows City <br /> <br />Charter Commission/July 18, 1991 <br /> Page 1 of 3 <br /> <br /> <br />