Charter Revision Commission Meetings

MINUTES Charter Revision Commission Meeting Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at 4:00 PM Carnegie Town Hall, 235 West 10th St., Sioux Falls, SD 57104 1. Call To Order Commission Members Present: Catherine Dekkenga, Anne Hajek, Lawrence Long, Carl Zylstra Commission Members Absent: Eric Erickson Committee Chair Anne Hajek called the meeting to order at 4 p.m. 2. Approval of Minutes A. August 16, 2023 A motion was made by Commission Member Zylstra and seconded by Commission Member Long to approve the minutes of August 16, 2023. Voice vote to approve. 4 Yes: Dekkenga, Hajek, Long, Zylstra; 0 No: (None). Motion Passed. 3. New Business A. Charter Article IV - Departments, Offices, and Agencies Charter Article IV, Departments, Offices, and Agencies was announced by the Chair. There was no discussion or recommendations for Section 4.01, General provisions, or Section 4.02, Personnel system. There was a discussion held on Article IV Section 4.03, Legal officer, on an ordinance that revised on how the City Attorney can be removed from office. Citizen, Mike Zitterich, asked questions and sought clarification regarding the legal officer and the ordinance changes. Dave Pfeifle, City Attorney, spoke and gave a brief background on the City Attorney’s office and explained the relationship of the Mayor's office and the City Council in regard to the termination of the City Attorney. There was some further discussion between Zitterich, the Commission and Pfeifle on the relationship between the City Attorney and the City of Sioux Falls, whether it is similar to the Attorney General and the State of South Dakota, and about the possibility of the City Attorney publishing legal opinions similar to how the Attorney General does. Commission member Long shared insights from his prior role serving as the SD Attorney General. There were no recommendations for Section 4.03.  There were no recommendations for Section 4.04, Planning. B. Charter Article V - Financial Procedures Charter Article V, Financial Procedures was announced by the Chair. It was noted that the Commission had not received any written suggestions or changes to this section of the Charter. The Chair announced the following sections with no recommendations for proposed amendments at this time by the Commission: Section 5.01, Fiscal year; Section 5.02, Submission of budget and budget message; Section 5.03, Budget message; Section 5.04, Budget; Section 5.05 City Council action on budget; Section 5.06 (Reserved); Section 5.07, Amendments after adoption; Section 5.08, Lapse of appropriations; Section 5.09, Administration of the budget; Section 5.10, Overspending of appropriations prohibited; 5.11 Capital program; Section 5.12, City Council action on capital program; and Section 5.13, Public records. C. Charter Article VI - Elections 1) Formal Recommendation #2 by Mike Zitterich: City Council Composition and Adjustment of Council Districts (Section 6.02). Charter Article VI, Elections, was introduced by the Chair. There was no discussion or recommendations for Section 6.01, City elections. The floor was given to Mike Zitterich who presented his formal recommendation regarding Section 6.02, Council Districts: adjustment of districts. There was discussion held on Mr. Zitterich's recommendation. The Chair explained that the recommendation will be added to the spreadsheet with other recommendations. The Chair continued with Section 6.02 and Section 6.03, Initiative and Referendum. There was no further discussion or recommendations. D. Other Proposals Submitted in Advance of this Meeting Unrelated to the Articles Under Consideration Above There were no other proposals submitted in advance to this meeting. E. List of Formal Recommendations for Revisions to the Sioux Falls Charter to be Maintained. (The Items on this list will be addressed at a future meeting and will be placed on the relevant Agenda at that time). The Chair noted that the list of formal recommendations was maintained and in place. There was no discussion. 4. Public Input John Cunningham gave public input on having a city manager form of government. Mike Zitterich gave public input that any proposed changes to the Charter should be gradual and not made overnight, and asked questions on the terms of office for the district commission. Zitterich also commented on the handouts  previously submitted by citizen, Joe Kirby and attached to this meeting’s agenda for publication. There was no additional input from the public. The Chair closed the floor to public input at 4:51 p.m. 5. Open Discussion Commission Member Zylstra raised the possibility of establishing a compensation commission in the Charter. Discussion was had with Zylstra ultimately indicating that he would bring a formal proposal forward next month. Discussion was had regarding the Charter Revision Commission’s advisory role pursuant to city ordinance, and whether this role involves recommending adoption verses recommending consideration. Commission Member Zylstra pointed out that transitional language in the Charter was intended to disappear, however, there is still a dollar amount specific to the mayor’s salary in Article IX of the Charter that has remained since adoption. Further discussion of public office salaries took place. There was discussion on the Charter Revision Commission’s upcoming meeting dates, and preference of the public submitting suggestions in writing prior to the next meeting of October 11, 2023. The Commission’s November meeting date was set for November 1, 2023 at 4 p.m. 6. Adjournment There was a motion by Commission Member Long and seconded by Commission Member Dekkenga to adjourn the meeting at 5:02 p.m. Voice vote to adjourn. 4 Yes: Dekkenga, Hajek, Long, Zylstra; 0 No: (None). Motion Passed. Jermery J. Washington, City Clerk Future Charter Revision Commission Meetings: October 11, 2023; November 1, 2023 TBD: December, 2023; January, 2024 All meetings in Carnegie Town Hall at 4:00 p.m.