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CHARTER COMMISSION <br />CITY OF RAMSEY <br />ANOKA COUNTY <br /> STATE OF MINNESOTA <br /> <br />The Ramsey City Charter Commission conducted a regular meeting on Thursday, July 21, <br />1994, at the Ramsey Municipal Center, 15153 Nowthen Boulevard N.W., Ramsey, <br />Minnesota. <br /> <br />Members Present: <br /> <br />Chairperson Bernie Steffen <br />Commissioner Dennis Donovan (arrived at 8:29 p.m.) <br />Commissioner Keith Kiefer <br />Commissioner Rodney Nelson <br />Commissioner Jay Swokowski <br /> <br />Members Absent: <br /> <br />Commissioner John Goode <br />Commissioner Judy Marn <br />Commissioner Richard Netzloff <br />Commissioner Virginia Spain-Brist <br /> <br />Also Present: <br /> <br />City Administrator Ryan Schroeder <br />City Attorney William Goodrich <br /> <br />(~ENERAL DISCUSSION <br /> <br />As of 7:30 p.m., there was not a quorum present; therefore, the Commission proceeded to <br />have the following general discussion: <br /> <br />Chairperson Steffen stated that the item for discussion is the interpretation of Section 4.2.1 <br />of the Ramsey City Charter, which has three pertinent issues. This section states that a <br />person currently holding office, who wishes to run for another office, must resign his/her <br />present office. The resignation must be submitted to the city clerk no later than 56 days, <br />and no earlier than 42 days, before any municipal election. The filing date goes beyond the <br />end of filing for everyone else. Other people should be able to come in and file for that <br />position that would then become vacant; however, with these counts, it is too short a <br />period. After the election, the person would not be able to come and sit on the Council, <br />win or lose. <br /> <br />Commissioner Kiefer suggested that the person could submit his/her resignation, wait until <br />the election, and then Council could decide if they would accept that resignation or not. <br /> <br />Chairperson Steffen stated that it is the Attorney General's opinion that the Charter of the <br />City could not determine qualifications for candidacy other than those set by legislative <br />cities; the Charter does not have the power to change that. He suggested that this is a term <br />limit that may be perceived as unconstitutional. <br /> <br />City Attorney Goodrich stated that he contacted the Assistant Attorney General and faxed <br />him a copy of Ramsey's Charter. The Attorney General's office doesn't think that the City <br />has the right to add additional qualifications such as making the person who wants to run <br />for a different office give up his current elected seat. The only way someone can be <br />removed would be due to malfeasance. He felt that this section would be ruled <br />unconstitutional. Mr. Goodrich stated he prepared an ordinance that the Charter <br />Commission may wish to consider once there is a quorum present. The City can only <br />amend the Charter with a public hearing and then there is a 90-day waiting period before <br /> <br />Charter Commission/July 21, 1994 <br /> Page I of 5 <br /> <br /> <br />