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MEMORANDUM DATE: AugUst 10, 1992 TO: ' M~yor and Councilmembers C C: Rgan Schroeder, City Administrator FROM: Economic Development Commission SUBJECT: Amendment to Chapter 2 of the Ramsey City Code The Ramsey ~ity;Council has adopted an ordinance which reorganizes Chapter 2 of the Ramsey City Code. ',This!ordinance allows for certain changes in the requirements for membership to commis$ionl~and! boards and also changes the length of terms. The Economic Development CommiSsion ~t~s with the principal of having all terms on commissions expire on December 31 of every.otlie~_ ye.~ and changing all the terms to be the same length. These changes will allow for a more effiaie~t fi~ncfioning of all the City commissions. Section 2.03.02 S hd. 1 entitled "Nine Voting Members and Residence Requirement" states the following: 'Eachibo~d or comrmssmn will consist of no more than rune young members ~n aceor~an¢~ with the City of Ramsey Charter, all of whom shall be residents of the City ~ ~amsey. Members shall represent a broad range of interests in functions of the City. As you may I~e ~are, the Ramsey Economic Development Commission is the only commission that has m~lijbers! who are not residents of the City. Members of the Economic Development Commission ~vh~Iare not residents of the City are required to either own a business or have an interest in th{ e~0~nomic development of the City of Ramsey. This inclusion of business and property ow~er~i allows for input from people who are not allowed to vote for City Councilm~ml~rS. i Their input is vital to the continued growth of the community as they are the very people ~at th~ City, with its economic development programs such as the revolving loan fund and the newl~!c,r¢~.~tted Economic Development Authority, are trying to attract These members of the community n t~y have a different op~mon on econormc development ~ssues than the residents who have eled~ed lhe City Council. These opinions and advice allow for the City Councilmembers to make inf,0r~n~ [ ~ecisions about development policies and ordinance requirements and not rely totally on the ~np ai from residents who may or may not understand the needs of business owners. This advice ~ay not be exactly what the City Council may want to hear, but it should be an accurate Pictu~r ~2 }the needs of the local business community. The Ramsey ~c0nomic Development Commission requests that the City Council amend the ordinance to ,l~e.l~.~t individuals who own commercial land or a business in the City of Ramsey to be members 9f ~e Economic Development Commission. This change would allow for the continuation tif the advisory role of the Economic Development Commission to the Ramsey City Council. /jmt