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Mr. Sieber replied that the required percent has not been determined yet but the current feeling of the Commission is to tie it into the number of registered voters, regardless of how many voted at the previoUs election. There is also the possibility of going with incremental percentages depending on the urgency of the issue. Mr. Sieber also noted that signers of the petition must be registered voters. Mr. Sieber then defined recall as the ability of the citizens to recall an elected official before expiration of his or her term. Recall is rarely used and would have to involve malfeasance or misfeasance. Mr. Sieber also noted that a charter can tighten up some of the State ordinances. State legislature spends a great deal of time passing local issue bills and they would prefer not to have to deal with that and let individual cities deal with their own problems. Mr. Sieber stated that the Charter Commission is hoping not to make this charter a one issue charter; the fact is it came about because of the sewer and water issue but a very conservative group of people were appointed to the Commission and it will not be a one issue charter. Mr. Sieber stated that what a charter does for a city is give final authority back to the residents if they choose to use it, and within 90 days rather than waiting until the next election. The big difference in a charter is that rights of the people are not abdicated to an elected body. Mr. Sieber noted that Section 2.02 of the proposed charter deals with Boards and Commissions and that all Ramsey commissions will receive a copy of this chapter for review and comment. He noted that there is no change from Ramsey's current policy but a Charter could endow commissions with powers that Council cannot interfere with. Commissioner Fults commented that his experience has been that appointed boards with powers are the ones who give all the hassles. All that is needed is for Council to take the advice of boards and commissions. Mr. Schnelle noted that appointed boards can only do what law prescribes and that same is true on a local level. The only danger would be if Charter Commission appointed an independent Park Board which could innocently create an added expense. Mr. Schnelle also noted that appointed persons are accountable to the elected body and elected persons are only accountable to the voters. Mr. Sieber stated that his feeling is to elect as few officials as possible and have Council delegate authority by ordinance. Mr. Sieber stated that the tentative plan is to finish framing the charter, submit it to a legal review, conduct public hearings and put it to a vote. If the charter is adopted, the Charter Commission will continue to exist for the purpose of reviewing legislation to make sure it is in harmony with the charter. Charter Commission members will be appointed for staggered two and four year terms and a member cannot serve more than two consecutive terms. Members are appointed by a judge and will serve out there term at his pleasure. The charter Commission will exist whether or not the charter is adopted because the people petitioned for a Charter Commission. The judge can remove and replace members of the Commission but he cannot disband the Commission; the Commission is disbanded when the people no longer want it. EDC/August 10, 1983 Page 5 of 10