Agenda - Council - 01/24/2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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General Government cities are required to follow to organize waste collection or prohibit cities from implementing, expanding or using organized waste collection. 2-P Election Administration Cities play a critical role in managing and ensuring the integrity of elections. Any changes made to election laws should not place undue financial or administrative burdens on local governments. Additional costs resulting from election law changes should be the responsibility of the state. Eligible voters in Minnesota may vote by absentee ballot prior to Election Day. Starting 46 days before the election, a voter can request, receive and cast an absentee ballot in one visit to their county or city election offices. As more and more voters choose to vote early with absentee balloting, improvements must be made to increase efficiency of administering absentee balloting before Election Day, reduce the potential for errors and to improve voter experience. Metro Cities supports: • New 2016 laws allowing in-person absentee voters to place their ballots in a secure tabulator instead of a series of envelopes to be processed after the voter has left the building; • Establishing an earlier deadline for ending in-person absentee voting; • Revising absentee ballot regulations to allow any person 18 and older to witness the absentee process and sign the envelope as a witness; and • Authorizing cities with health care facilities to schedule election judges to conduct absentee voting at an earlier date in health care facilities. 2-Q Utility Franchise Fees, Accountability and Cost Transparency Minnesota cities are authorized by Minnesota statutes M.S. 216B and 301B.01 to require a public utility (gas or electric)that provides services to the city or occupies the public right of way within a city to obtain a franchise. Several metro area cities have entered into such agreements which require that the utility pay a fee to help offset the costs of maintaining the right of way. Cities are also adopting energy policies that often result in the use of renewable energy resources to light or heat public facilities. Policies and programs have also been instituted in cooperation with the public utility franchisee to increase energy efficiency for all users. Cities also contract, at city expense, with public utilities to "underground" wires. 2017 Legislative Policies 17