Agenda - Council - 07/26/1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I ! I I I I I I I I I I I Motion carried. Voting Yes: Chairman Peterson, Commissioners Zimmerman, Deemer, Isakson, LaDue and Schneider. Voting No: None. Case #6: Capital Improvement Budgeting:' Refer to Page 7, Paragraph 7 of these minutes. Case #3: Mr. Dick Sieber And Mr. ROger Buchanan Of The Charter Commission To Discuss Charter Issues: Mr. Buchanan summarized the happendings of the first three meeting of the Charter Commission. Mr. Buchanan stated that he and Mr. Sieber were appointed to the Public Opinion Committee of the Charter Commission and requested being placed on P&Z Agenda in order to obtain P&Z input regarding a charter. Mr. Buchanan stated that Mr. Dorn (attorney for Charter Commission) gave a presentation regarding statutory and charter cities and the end result of that meeting was .~.m_otion to proceed with ~the writing of a charter. Mr..Buchanan stated that the majority opinion he and Mr. Sieber have obtained so f~r is-that people would rather see a proposed charter before they voi¢.e~their.opinion regarding charters. Ba'sed on that, the Charter Commission' wiil do Wha~ they were basically appointed to do; write a proposed charter and put it before the City for approval or disapproval. Mr. Buchanan noted that along with passing a motion to proceed'with the writing of a charter, a motion was also passed that at any point during the writing of the charter the Commission is open to any comments relative to the charter, particularly negative comments. If for some reason along the way some really valid reason for not going charter is brought up, we can save the City money by stopping the proceedings. Discussion ensued regarding the fact that most charters are the result of citizens being dissatisfied and how damaging it can be if a charter is written vindictively. Mr. Buchanan noted that this Ramsey Charter Commission is not vindictive and there is a genuine interest in writing a charter that is in the best interest of the people. Mr. Buchanan noted that the biggest difference between charter and statutory cities is the right to initiative and referendum. Mr. Buchanan also noted that some study has to be given to initiative and referendum and that the Commission will be sure to avoid the mistake of a charter allowing a very small percentage of people to get up a peitition for initiative and referendum. Commissioner Deemer recommended that the case of St. Paul be researched, that St. Paul was Statutory, converted to Charter and went back to Statutory. Mr. Buchanan noted that 8 other cities in Anoka County are charter, that Ramsey is not trying for anything strange or abnormal. Commissioner Zimmerman suggested that the Charter Commission obtain public input prior to writing the charter. P&Z/July 5, 1983 Page 5 of 8