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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 th 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 th 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 Charter Commission 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. Charter Commission February 16, 2006 Page 3 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 Page 4