Minutes - Charter Commission - 04/19/2012

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Commissioner Bendtsen declared that this is a great first step to raise the percentage. He did not agree with charging a fee. Chairperson Field felt that if the language was changed so it brings the percentage up to 50 percent, that would be a good deterrent. Commissioner Deemer stated that if we added any more than just 50 percent, we would have to have another meeting to review different language. He suggested we keep it really simple and send it to the City Council and they vote 100 percent and we don't see it again. Motion by Commissioner Deemer, seconded by Commissioner Niska to approve the ordinance language amending City Charter Section 8.4 and recommend adoption of such an ordinance to the City Council, pending their unanimous approval of this ordinance or to return it to the Charter with suggested changes for a future work session. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Field, Commissioners Deemer, Niska, Anderson, Bendtsen, Niederhaus, Shea and Sherman. Voting No: None. Absent: Commissioner Sivertson. 5.2 Update on Topics for Discussion Motion by Commissioner Deemer, seconded by Commissioner Anderson to request an ordinance be drafted to delete 2.3.3 inclusively as it's no longer relative to our Charter. Further discussion: Commissioner Deemer noted that all the time frames have passed since this was put in the Charter. We have gone from five members to seven on the Council and also gone to the Ward system. Chairperson Field inquired if we would lose staggered terms if we deleted that section and he wondered if that would be an historical issue. City Administrator Ulrich suggested it be pieced out. We would like to give people an opportunity to speak on it. You could bring it back to the next meeting. Commissioner Anderson stated she is not sure it should be taken out of the Charter as it is part of the history and she felt it had value. Commissioner Bendtsen asked is 2.3.3 the only way people are elected in Ramsey. If so, then it should not be taken out. Mr. Goodrich responded that if we get rid of this completely, there is no history. It could be called something different — we would have to look at it. Commissioner Niska stated he did not understand the reason to delete it — it's helpful to set a baseline. However, it does say "thereafter and commencing with the City wide election in 2006 . . . It sets the order of terms of each member so you could derive from that when each term is up. You could also tie them to the election of the governor and the election of the president. Wards 2 and 4 are the same year as the Presidential election and Wards 1 and 3 are the same election year as the Governor. That's one way to get a transition schedule. City Attorney Goodrich maintained that leaving it in does give a baseline to figure it out. Commissioner Niska stated that one of the reasons we brought tis up was to clarify language in Section 2.5 on vacancies and residency with regard to Wards. You had to be a resident of the ward but with qualifications in 2.2.1. He talked about serving the remainder of a term. Sections 2.2.1 and 2.5 and understand the intent is if you are no longer a resident in the City and no longer in the ward, you are to lose your qualifications to hold that seat and he thinks the current language does that but it could be made more clear. Commissioner Charter Commission/ April 19, 2012 Page 5 of 10