Agenda - Charter Commission - 12/16/2004

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CASE # 4 STAFF REPORT ON FOLLOW-UP ITEMS By: Jo Thieling, City Clerk Background: There were a nmnber of follow-up items/questions the Charter Commission raised at the September meeting. Staff offered a report on each item. That report is as follows: 1) Training Budget - There is a line item in the 2005 budget for $500 for Charter training. If more is needed, it is possible to request it be transferred from another fund. The $500 - or more - will be a standing item. Staff will request $750 for the 2006 budget. Nulnber of Charter Cities - Number of Cities with 7-person Council - Included in your packet is a publication entitled Charter and Election Data for Minnesota Cities. It is a League of Minnesota Cities publication and contains .information relating to which Minnesota cities are charter cities. With regard to the number of Minnesota cities with a 7-member Council, staff has contacted the League of Minnesota Cities Research Department and left a message for that number. As of this writing, the information had not yet been received. If staff receives it prior to the meeting, the information will be presented at the meeting. 3) Presentation to Charter - It was noted that discussions have been held regarding having Dave Kennedy of Kennedy and Graven or someone from the League of Minnesota Cities come to talk to Ramsey's Charter about policies, etc. City Clerk Thieling contacted the League of Minnesota Cities and spoke with Rylee Retzer, who is available to come out to talk to Charter Commissions about policies, updates, etc. Ms. Retzer has a fairly flexible schedule. Staff scheduled her to come out to talk'with the Chatter Commission on Thursday, January 20, 2004, at 6:30 p.m. If there is a time that works better for the members, this can easily be rescheduled. · Ms. Retzer also asked if there are any specific questions, etc., that the Charter Commission may have. If there's anything in particular that you want Ms, Retzer to speak about, let Jo know and she will pass it along. That way, Ms. Retzer will have time to research and bring along the information. 4) Vacancies - That will be dealt With this evening in a separate case. 5) Contact Information- the Commissioners who were present gave out their latest contact information. Staff is including that with this packet. 6) Review Language for 4.5.5 - The Charter Conna~ission asked for language to review relating to vacancies and Attorney Goodrich offered to present language at the December meeting. However, Mr. Goodrich is unable to attend this meeting and has asked that it be pulled mad placed on a subsequent agenda when he can be present. It