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City Administrator Ulrich advised that if the issue were to go to a referendum question the <br />deadline for submission would be August 22n <br />Chairperson Field stated that it appears that the information submitted from the Council is <br />basically the same language that was proposed at the previous meeting with the additional <br />requirement of a supermajority of the City Council in order to implement a Franchise Ordinance. <br />Commissioner S. Anderson stated that the question would be whether there is a desire for a <br />franchise fee in Ramsey. She referenced the language proposed and believed that it appears that <br />there could be a number of franchise fees. <br />Chairperson Field confirmed that the franchise fee would have a span of five years, with the <br />ability to renew the fee with the supermajority vote of the City Council. <br />Commissioner Zaetsch stated that it is his understanding of the language that there could be <br />multiple franchise fees at the same time. <br />Commissioner S. Anderson stated that this would be a huge change in the policy of assessment <br />as currently property owners are charged by parcel size and the proposed method would be a flat <br />fee for assessments. She believed that the current method is fairer. <br />Commissioner Deemer stated that as the Charter states right now the Council could implement <br />franchise fees but chose to delay the decision because of the position of the Charter Commission <br />and residents. He stated that the Council is willing to put restrictions in order to add this tool <br />into their options in order to give the City five years to include road improvements into the levy. <br />Chairperson Field stated that the Commission previously had concern with the open - endedness <br />of the franchise fee and desired constraints through the "Niska amendment ". <br />Commissioner S. Anderson stated that if the Commission is not going to speed up the decision, <br />perhaps the issue should just go to vote as a referendum. <br />Chairperson Field stated that the Council has responded to the input of the Charter Commission <br />and has proposed limits and the additional supermajority requirement. He stated that if the issue <br />goes to vote, the decision will be all or nothing and advised that the City does not have the funds <br />budgeted to fund the needed road repairs. <br />City Administrator Ulrich stated that even though the language was proposed by the City <br />Council, it could not be guaranteed that the City Council vote would be unanimous on the <br />language. He stated that the issue may go to vote either way. <br />Commissioner S. Anderson questioned if this method of amending the Charter is the best <br />method. She believed that this type of vote is normally reserved for housekeeping issues and <br />believed that policy type changes to the Charter should be reserved for the people through a vote. <br />Charter Commission/ April 23, 2014 <br />Page 3 of 8 <br />