HomeMy WebLinkAboutFebruary 16, 2006, Minutes
OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
CHARTER COMMISSION
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2006
7:00 P.M.
GAUVITTE ROOM
MURZYN HALL
Call to Order
The special meeting was called to order by President Mike Hartel at 7:05 p.m.
Roll Call
Members present: Bob Buboltz, Nicole Druckrey, Barb Gertsema, Mike Hartel, Jim Johnson, Nancy
King, Carolyn Laine, Mike Patiuk, Lori Ritzko, Joe Sturdevant, Dan Vogtman
Members absent and excused: Scott Kyseth, Joseph Sturdevant
Members absent and unexcused: Katy Korday
Council Liaison for 2006, Tami-Ericson Diehm, was present.
Also present: Jim Hoeft, City Attorney; Carole Blowers, Recording Secretary
Status of Membership
President Hartel announced that there is one vacancy on the Charter Commission due to the removal of
Clare Schmidt from the commission due to the fact that she has missed four consecutive meetings without
being excused. Applications were available for members tonight to take with them if they knew of anyone
interested in applying for this commission.
Approval of Minutes of January 19, 2006:
Commissioner Vogtman asked that a correction be made on page 2, second paragraph from the bottom of
the page. The correction was to add the words “as originally discussed”. Motion by Commissioner
Vogtman, seconded by Commissioner Buboltz to make this amendment. Motion by Commissioner Laine,
seconded by Commissioner Hartel to approve the minutes of January 19, 2006, with the above correction.
Motion passed unanimously.
Old Business
Discussion on Districts/Wards
President Hartel stated that the purpose of this special meeting tonight was to consider the proposed
amendments to Chapter 2 as a second reading on the commission level.
rd
43 Avenue and Central
New maps showing the population figures right now for quadrants considering
Avenue were passed out tonight for commissioner’s information. Using that map and dividing lines,
populations were: NW Quadrant 5,495
NE Quadrant 4,950
SWQuadrant 3,916
SE Quadrant 4,159
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Previous maps showing the population figures right now for quadrants considering 44 Avenue and
Charter Commission
February 16, 2006
Page 1
Central Avenue were passed out as well, in case people needed that map. Using that map and dividing
lines, populations were: NW Quadrant 4,500
NE Quadrant 4,115
SW Quadrant 4,911
SE Quadrant 4,994
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Commissioners agreed that using 44 Avenue and Central Avenue had a more equal distribution of
population.
Commissioners were also given information from the City Planner regarding projected increase in housing
units for the city.
Commission members were provided tonight with wording put together by the City Attorney’s office
reflecting changes discussed at the January, 2006, meeting. This version addressed the issue of when a
councilmember moves from one ward to another in the city, they would still be allowed to finish out their
elected term. The City Attorney stated that he felt he should address this in Section 7 instead of Section 9,
and the draft provided this evening reflects that.
Commissioner Druckrey mentioned that there was a typographical error in the first sentence of Section
7—the last word should be “charter” not “charger”.
Questions were asked regarding voting to put this item on the ballot. The City Attorney stated that if the
City Council did not pass the amendments proposed unanimously, it would take a simple majority vote at
the Charter Commission level to put this item on the ballot.
Motion by Commissioner Buboltz, seconded by Commissioner Johnson, to approve the amended language
on a second reading at the commission level, and to forward it to the City Council (as follows):
PROPOSED CHANGES TO
CHAPTER 2
FORM OF GOVERNMENT
(Note: Underlined material indicates new language; crossed out material indicates current language to be
deleted.)
Section 6. FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
The form of government established by this charter shall be
known as the "Council-Manager Plan."
Section 7. ELECTIVE OFFICES.
The council shall be composed of a the mayor, elected at-large, two
councilmembers elected at-large, and four council members, each of whom who shall be qualified electors,
and who shall be elected from a separate ward as established or amended pursuant to this charter. at large in
the manner hereinafter provided. The mayor and councilmembers shall be qualified electors. Each
councilmember elected from a ward shall be a resident of the ward. However, the following circumstances
shall not disqualify a councilmember from serving the remainder of a term: (1) a change in ward boundaries;
or (ii) cessation as a resident of the ward from which elected, so long as the councilmember remains a
resident of the City. Except as hereinafter provided, councilmembers The four council members shall serve
for a term of four years and until their a successors is are elected and qualifiesd. The mayor shall serve for a
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February 16, 2006
Page 2
term of two years and until a successor is elected and qualifiesd. The council shall be judge of the elections of
(Ordinance No. 1466, passed
for the mayor and councilmembers shall be held as provided herein.
December 15, 2003)(Ordinance No. 1300, passed April 10, 1995)
Section 7a. WARDS
. The City shall be divided into four separate wards. The boundaries of such
wards shall be determined by ordinance based upon population as determined by the most recent federal
census and shall be as equal in population as practicable. A ward must be composed of a compact and
contiguous territory. Review of the ward boundaries must be made by the Council and the wards
reapportioned by ordinance no later than two years after the year in which a federal census is taken so
that the populations of the wards are as equal as practicable. The wards of the City are those described
herein on the effective date of this Charter amendment.
Section 8. INCOMPATIBLE OFFICES.
No member of the council shall hold any paid municipal office or
employment under the City of Columbia Heights, and until one year after the expiration of that member's term
as council member no former member shall be appointed to any paid office or employment under the city
which office or employment was created or the emoluments of which were increased during that member's
(Ordinance No. 1086, passed June 11, 1984)
term.
Section 9. VACANCIES IN THE COUNCIL.
A vacancy in the council shall be deemed to exist in case
of the failure of any person elected thereto to qualify on or before the date of the second regular meeting
of the new council, or by reason of the death, resignation, removal from office, cessation as a resident of
the city, continuous absence from the city for more than three months, conviction of a felony of any such
person whether before or after qualification, the failure of any council member without good cause to
perform any of the duties of membership in the council for a period of three months or for any other cause
as may be provided for in Minnesota Statutes, as amended. In each such case, at the next regular meeting
following receipt of notice by the council of one of the foregoing conditions, the council shall by
resolution declare such vacancy to exist unless further investigation is required. Notice of said vacancy
shall be posted at city hall for a period of two (2) weeks from the date of the adoption of the resolution
declaring said vacancy. Notice shall also be published in a designated city newspaper for a period of two
(2) weeks as soon as possible after the date of the adoption of said resolution, with the publication being
completed no later than thirty (30) days from said date. Applications shall be sought and accepted from
individuals interested in filling the vacancy, which applications shall be submitted to city hall, to the
attention of the City Clerk, within 45 days from the date of said resolution. The council shall interview
each of the applicants within 30 days from the close of the application period, and shall conduct said
interviews in an agreed upon uniform manner as a council. After said 30 day period, the council shall
make its appointment from the pool of applicants within 15 days, whether done so at a regular council
meeting or a special meeting. The individuals so appointed shall fill said vacancy until the next regular
municipal election, when the office shall be filled for the unexpired term by an eligible person elected at
large in the manner hereinafter set forth; provided, however, that if a vacancy is declared by resolution
after March 31st in the year of a regular municipal election, then the appointment process as set forth
herein shall not take effect and any such vacancy shall continue to exist until said election, at which time
the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term by an eligible person elected at large in the manner
hereinafter provided. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any vacancy resulting from a recall
election or from a resignation following the filing of a recall petition shall be filled in the manner provided
(Ordinance No. 1331, passed September 23, 1996)(Ordinance No. 1086, passed June
in such case.
11, 1984)
Vote on the above motion: Ayes: Buboltz, Druckrey, Gertsema, Hartel, Johnson, Laine, Patiuk, Ritzko,
Sturdevant, Vogtman Nayes: King Absent: Korday, Kyseth, Sturdevant. Motion passed.
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February 16, 2006
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Council Liaison Ericson-Diehm asked that the maps the Charter Commission has been looking at be
attached to these minutes for review by the City Council.
President Hartel said he would expect this issue to be brought up first at a council work session and then
to a regular city council meeting. Council Liaison Ericson-Diehm stated that Councilmember Nawrocki
will be gone one meeting in March. Charter Commission members felt it would be important to have this
on a work session that all city councilmembers would be attending. President Hartel will be in contact
with the City Manager to set the date this would be discussed at a council work session. Charter
Commission members are certainly invited to attend the work session meeting as well, but President Hartel
will be there to represent the commission as a whole.
Next Meeting Date
The next regular Charter Commission meeting date is April 20, 2006, at 7 p.m. at Murzyn Hall.
Adjournment
Motion by Commissioner Vogtman, seconded by President-Elect Hartel to adjourn the meeting at 7:25
p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carole J. Blowers,
Recording Secretary
(Maps to be attached)
Charter Commission
February 16, 2006
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