Minutes - Charter Commission - 07/18/2002

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Motion by Commissioner Milless, seconded by Commissioner Deemer, to recommend that the City Charter be amended by repeal of Chapter 14 "Metropolitan Urban Service Area"; that this proposed amendment be referred to the City Council for it to establish a ballot question for this purpose and that this amendment be submitted to the qualified voters for their approval/disapproval at the November 2002 general election. Further discussion: Commissioner LaMere inquired if there was a way to inform the residents that the problem was with the process, not the language. She also noted that six percent of the Ramsey voters voted to adopt Chapter 14. City Administrator Norman recommended that the motion be amended to include language on the ballot regarding the reason for the change. Motion was amended to recommend that the City Council include language regarding the reason for the change. Further discussion: Commissioner Swanson inquired if there was a way for them to insure that the process gets started to get the language included in Chapter 9 of City Code. City Attorney Goodrich replied that that is not the Charter Commission area of concern. As citizens they could attend the Council meeting and endorse any ordinance. Commissioner Deemer stated that the City Council is in the process of placing the correct use into the City Code. He stated that Mr. Hendriksen had three votes to pass the ordinance at one point in time and then the Charter was amended to allow for three votes to pass, but then he no longer had the three votes. They are now working on getting it passed in an acceptable form to everyone. Commissioner Ebel stated that she did not feel there were enough Commission members present to vote on the issue before them. Chairperson Vogt replied that they do have a quorum. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Vogt, Commissioners Milless, Deemer, LaMere, and Swanson. Voting No: Commissioners Ebel. Absent: Commissioners Bertzyk and Henke. Case #6: Consider City Manager Form of Government City Administrator Norman stated that Commissioner Darlene Milless has requested this item be placed on the Cormnission's agenda. In reviewing past Charter Commission minutes, Cormnissioner Milless noted that the Charter Commission considered City Manager form of Govermrtent during meetings held in 1998 and 1999. Commissioner Milless suggested the Commission return to the consideration of the matter. When the Charter Commission discussed the City Manager form of Government in 1998 and 1999, the item was proposed by then Commissioner Susan Anderson. It was reported by the City Administrator in January 1999 that a survey of 21 comparably sized cities based in the northwest quadrant of the metropolitan area found five cities with administrator form of government and 16 cities with the City Manager form of Government. An explanation was made to the Charter Commission in 1999 regarding the differences between a City Administrator and City Manager form of Government. Staff has provided a League of Minnesota Cities research that provides a description of the differences as revised in August 2000. Staff has attached the City Administrator and City Manger portion of the memorandum to this case. A City Administrator position is not required by State Statute, but has been created by ordinance or resolution by the City. The history of the City Administrator position is less defined then the history of either the City Clerk or Manager positions. In Minnesota, the position has apparently grown out Charter Commission/July 18, 2002 Page 17 of 22