Agenda - Charter Commission - 01/29/2002 - 2001 Annual Report

Home

The Honorable Judge Quinn January 29, 2002 Page 2 of 3 The Attorney was also directed to draft language relating to the City conducting a primary election and place that language on the ballot too. The Charter agreed to meet again to approve the language. The Charter then voted to add advisory questions to the ballot. The questions related to the following: 1) Mississippi River bridge crossing between the cities of Ramsey and Dayton; 2) The desire for a town center; and 3) If a ward system is approved, is it still necessary to turn over the majority of the City Council every election. A meeting was held on Thursday, May 24, 2001. Case #1 was to accept the resignation of Commissioner Kathy Rosenow. Case #2 was to welcome the new Charter Commission Members. Ramsey's City Charter Commission now consists of the following: Timothy Vogt, Sandra Bertzyk, Barry Childs, Ben Deemer, Lauri Ebel, Marguerite Henke, Hannah LaMere, Darlene Milless and Brian Swanson. Mr. Vogt was nominated Chairperson and Mr. Childs was nominated Vice-Chairperson. The Commission discussed wards and primaries but did not take action because some of the Commissioners were absent. The Commission met on Thursday, June 7, 2001, and made a motion to recommend to City Council that the Charter be amended to provide for a primary election, contingent upon passing onto the Council the ward question too. Wards were discussed at length, but no decision was made. Therefore, the Commission recommended that they not forward the primary election language to the Council at this time either. Ramsey's Charter Commission met on July 19, 2001, and received the final version of the primary election Charter Amendment text. They voted to pass onto Council the language calling for a vote on a primary election and calling for a vote on a ward system. The Charter Commission met on Thursday, August 9, 2001, and recalled those Charter amendments forwarded to the City Council by the Charter Commission action on July 19, 2001, and to resubmit the same proposed amendments to the City Council at its August 14, 2001 meeting, and to recommend that the City Council establish the special election date for November 6, 2001. The Commission discussed Charter amendments to Chapter 5, dealing with approval requirements of initiative, referendum and recall, but tabled action to a September meeting. The Charter Commission met on Thursday, September 6, 2001, and discussed language for ballot questions, which was forwarded for the November 6, 2001 election. Following is the final language sent to the ballot. Question No. 1: Shall the Home Rule Charter of the City of Ramsey be amended to require that four Councilmembers be elected from wards and two elected at large? Question No. 2: Shall the Home rule Charter of the City of Ramsey be amended to require a primary election for the selection of two nominees for each elective office at the regular municipal election, unless two nominees or fewer file for each elective office? Question No. 3: