Minutes - Council - 05/26/2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Attorney Johnson explained that portions of the resolution were based on findings and language contained in publicly available oversight reports and were included as part of the staff's effort to draft a resolution responsive to the request. Mayor Heineman defended the proposal and argued that governments frequently face novel issues that have not been litigated before. He maintained that the purpose of the resolution was not to authorize a lawsuit but to determine whether a viable legal path exists. He rejected criticism that the proposal was a waste of resources, noting that Councilmembers routinely bring forward issues that require staff research. He argued that large-scale fraud, unfunded mandates, and state oversight failures have real consequences for local governments and residents. He stated that exploring potential avenues for financial recovery or accountability is an appropriate responsibility of elected officials. He emphasized that the proposal merely seeks information before any future decisions are made. He reiterated his belief that a Joint Powers Agreement could spread costs among participating cities and potentially allow municipalities to pursue remedies that would otherwise be unavailable individually. Motion by Mayor Heineman, seconded by Councilmember Olson, to adopt Resolution #26-111, authorizing City staff to explore the City’s ability to file a legal claim against Governor Tim Walz and other State leaders for a failure to faithfully execute Minnesota State Law and nonfeasance related to the management of taxpayer money. Motion failed. Voting Yes: Mayor Heineman, Councilmembers Olson and Specht. Voting No: Councilmembers Buscher, Peters, Riley and Stewart. Councilmember Buscher proposed directing staff to prepare a "Stay in Your Lane" resolution that would limit the City of Ramsey from advocating for positions or policies that lack a direct and explicit connection to City programs, services, policies, or budgets. She described the proposal as a way to discourage politically motivated or purely symbolic actions by the City Council. She referenced similar policies adopted by organizations such as the Association of Minnesota Counties and other local governments. Mayor Heineman sought clarification on the proposal's intent and scope, questioning whether it would prohibit the Council from adopting symbolic resolutions and raising concerns about potential unintended consequences. Councilmember Buscher explained that staff would use existing models from local government organizations to draft language that would appropriately define the policy and avoid unintended restrictions. Motion by Councilmember Buscher, seconded by Councilmember Riley, to create a resolution to stay in our lane. Councilmember Specht asked whether the proposed resolution should be reviewed first in a work session or brought directly to a regular Council meeting. City Council /May 26, 2026 Page 17 of 19