Charter Revision Commission Meetings

Note: Minutes are “draft” until approved at the next meeting. MINUTES Thursday, November 14, 2013 Charter Revision 3:30 PM at Carnegie Town Hall Commission Meeting 235 West Tenth Street Members Present: De Knudson, Pauline Poletes, Richard O. Gregerson Members Absent: Dennis W. Aanenson, Robert Thimjon Staff Present: David Pfeifle, City Attorney; and Tamara Jorgensen, CMC, Assistant City Clerk 1. Call To Order Commission Chair Pauline Poletes called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. 2. Approval Of Minutes A. September 12, 2013 A motion was made by De Knudson and seconded by Dick Gregerson to approve the minutes. Commission Chair Poletes called for a voice vote and all members voted yes. Motion Passed. 3. Old Business A. Charter Section 2.02 - Terms Of Elected Office of City Council Members i. Public Input David Pfeifle, City Attorney, reviewed the information as highlighted below. After discussion, he stated he will provide terminology in an ordinance/Charter revision that exchanges the word 'in' for the word 'for' in the following sentence: “..the City Council Regularly meets for the….”. Amendment A Shall Section 2.02(c) be amended to read: Sec. 2.02 (c). [City Council] Election and terms. The terms of council members shall be four (4) years beginning on whichever day the City Council regularly meets for the third week of May following the official canvass of any final council or mayoral election, whichever is later, and  shall continue until a successor has been elected and takes office. No council member may serve more than two (2) full or partial terms consecutively; however, a council member may immediately thereafter be eligible to be a candidate for mayor. The two consecutive term limit shall apply regardless of whether a council member has served as a district or an at large council member or both. City Attorney’s Explanation of Amendment A: The proposed change, as approved and submitted by the Charter Revision Commission, would allow scheduling flexibility for City Council terms of office to begin on whichever day the City Council meets during the third week of May immediately following the official canvas of an April municipal election. The current language requires the term to begin on Monday of that third week of May. This meeting did not have a 'super majority' of members present. The vote on whether or not to add these two items to the April 8, 2014 ballot will occur at the next Charter Revision Commission Meeting on Thursday, January 9, 2014, at 3:30 p.m. Knudson stated she will not be present at the January meeting, but may be available via teleconference. Gregerson asked about the timeline for partial terms for the Mayor. He inquired on whether or not this needed to be changed to include a specific timeline for 'partial term'. Discussion followed. Discussion was held regarding appointments or elections for filling Mayoral vacancies that are a few months long. Discussion was held regarding the Mayor's succession plan if the office is vacated. There was no public input at this time. B. Charter Section 3.02 - Terms of Office of Mayor i. Public Input Pfeifle reviewed the information as copied below. A vote will be taken at the Charter Revision Commission meeting on January 9, 2014, on whether or not to include this item on the ballot in April 8, 2014.  Amendment B Shall Section 3.02 be amended to read: Section 3.02. Election and qualifications of mayor. The mayor shall be elected for a term of four years by a direct vote of the people at the regular city election. No mayor shall serve more than two (2) full or partial terms consecutively; however, the mayor may immediately thereafter be eligible to be a candidate for council member. The mayor’s terms shall begin on whichever day the City Council regularly meets in the third week of May following the official canvass of the mayor’s election and shall continue until a successor has been elected and takes office. City Attorney’s Explanation of Amendment B: The proposed change, as approved and submitted by the Charter Revision Commission, would allow scheduling flexibility for the mayor’s term of office to begin on whichever day the City Council regularly meets during the third week of May immediately following the official canvas of an April municipal election. The current language requires the term to begin on Monday of that third week of May. There was no public input at this time. 4. New Business Gregerson ask which Council Districts are up for election in 2014. They are: the two At-Large Districts, the Southeast District and the Central District. Pfeifle stated that the two Charter amendments presented today will be included on the January 9, 2014 meeting agenda. He said he will also have a draft report ready for review by the Commission. This report is a summary of what the Charter Revision Commission has done in the past year and is to be presented to the City Clerk. 5. Adjournment A motion was made by De Knudson and seconded by Dick Gregerson to adjourn the meeting at 3:50 p.m. Poletes called for a voice vote and all members voted yes. Motion Passed. Tamara Jorgensen, CMC Assistant City Clerk