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Councilmember Anderson stated that part of this is what is our (Council's) job. Is it policy or <br />day to day management? She is not sure that individuals on City Council should be giving <br />direction with regard to websites, etc. She added that looking at what Managers and <br />Administrators are paid would be based on the size of the city. She stated that she is the one who <br />got all of Council on committees. She did not want to take only two people"s recommendations. <br />She felt the open meeting law is a concern and she is not comfortable as one of five rubber <br />stamping what a committee of two came up with. <br /> <br />Chairperson Vogt stated that when you have a divided Council, that is where employees get into <br />a lot of rhetoric. In that case, having a City Manager would be a pro because if the Council is <br />divided, and they decided they did not want to deal with employees, the City Administrator <br />position does not have a lot of autonomy to work these positions. A Manager would have more <br />authority to handle things in an organizational structure. <br /> <br />Councilmember Zimmerman stated that the City Council still has the right to debate what <br />committees they want to be on. We are appointed to committees we are interested in or have <br />lmowledge of. <br /> <br />Commissioner Henke stated we seem to be stressing everything relating to personnel. She <br />thought we would be changing to a Plan B (referring to the League handout) City. <br /> <br />Mr. Goodrich responded no, we would still be a Charter City with a City Manager form of <br />government. <br /> <br />Commissioner Henke stated that a City Manager gets involved in ordinances, resolutions, State <br />Statutes, etc. Are we saying the City Manager would interpret these documents - or would the <br />City Council? <br /> <br />Mr. Goodrich replied that both Council and the Manager would, and reiterated that the biggest <br />difference would be with regard to personnel. The City Council would retain the right to appoint <br />the City Attorney. <br /> <br />Commissioner Henke stated there were references to commissions and boards being abolished. <br /> <br />Mr. Goodrich stated it would not affect Ramsey's commissions - that part is not likely to change. <br /> <br />Commissioner Henke expressed concern about City Manager type of government being more <br />like a dictatorship. The allegiance of employees tends to be to the Manager then instead of the <br />residents. <br /> <br />Commissioner Ebel suggested seeing how a seven person Council system works and, in a year, <br />discuss this again. <br /> <br />Commissioner Deemer stated that the scenario about Councilmembers asking someone for <br />information and that he would now have to go through the manager - that's not the case is it? <br /> <br />Charter Commission/July 18, 2002 <br /> Page 9 of 10 <br /> <br /> <br />