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I I I I I I ! I I I ! I I I I I I I I has deC,de, itc go to a Council liaison function. There will be a rotating rep~eS~ '~r~a~on on the part of Council and the Mayor and one councilmember will b~ ~t.large. One councilmember will be appointed to serve one of 3 precin6ts f~r a period of one year and at large for one year. ChapteN '~4 ?iNominations and Elections - The Charter Commission has opted to est&~!ish that if a councilmember chooses to run for mayor after serving two ye&~s o~ his 4 year term, he must resign his position as councilmember to comp~te for the office of mayor. Also, there have been situations where due toia vacancy, for whatever reason, a councilmember is appointed. It is an undesir&blelsituation to have 3 years of a term remaining and to have 3 council~em~rs and a mayor appoint who is going to carry on the 3 remaining · years. ~The~charter proposes to establish that Council establish an election to fillitha~ vacancy. Commissioner Data noted that if a vacancy is created with le~s than one year left of the term, Council will appoint a councilmember to filiilth&~ vacancy. If a vacancy is created with less than 120 days left in thei~eZ~Ui, the seat will remain vacant until the next general election. Chapter :15 -i This chapter is totally new with respect to the way the City curre~%y Operates. It is the chapter dealing with Initiative and Referendum and Re~ll.l It provides for citizen opportunity to initiate laws, have a referen~um~o repeal laws and recall elected officials. Commissioner Sieber state~ ~ha~ the only argument against this provision is that a small portion of the Cit~ could force the rest of the Ci y into something long term and expe~iVe.ii!. To avoid this happening, the Charter Commission has set the required.number of signatures on a petition at 10% of the registered voters in the Ci ~. Commissioner Buchanan noted that historically, it shows that the rights~f initiative and referendum and recall are very seldom exercised. CommiSsioner Sieber stated that recall has never been exercised in Minnesota. Chapter 6 '~ Essentially, there no differences at all in the way the City is to be~a~mi~istered. Council and Mayor will have authority as delegated by the citizens. Chapter!~7 ~ Financing - The most significant change brought about by this chapterl is !the Long Term Financial Plan. In most aspects, it already exists ~n .~he City, but the Charter will make the Long Term Plan a formal requirement. Commissioner Data stated that the reasons for requiring a Long ~e~l~ Iplan is to give the citizens a sense of City direction and growth and the opportunity to be aware of income and expenditures anticipated over a 5 yea~ p~riod. It will also serve as an indicator to Council and various people ~n City government as to whether or not there is a need to increase taxes°~ r~quire development to increase tax base. Chapte~ 8 :~ Public Improvements and Special Assessments - This chapter will struc~tLre.4ifferently the way public improvements and special assessments are c~xen~ly accomplished in the City. This is an involved chapter and is characterized as the strongest side winning. The intent is to give the stronge~t:=~oice possible to the people with regards to improvements. CommisSioner Buchanan stated that the intent is to allow people who are going.to b~ assessed, as a group, to decide whether or not they want that project. ~ommissioner Buchanan explained that with this provision, people can requ~s~ a project and if Council approves, the project goes in - ~nless anothe~ group from that same area submit a petition with the required number of sig.~atures to stop the project. Chap~M 9!~ Eminent Domain - No change. Sp CC/February 15, 1984 .~ ~ ~ Public Meeting