HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003 01-22 CCM Joint Session with Charter Commission i
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MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY
OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA
JOINT SESSION WITH CHARTER COMMISSION
JANUARY 22, 2003
COUNCIL /COMMISSION CONFERENCE ROOM
CALL TO ORDER
The Brooklyn Center City Council met for a joint session with the Charter Commission and was
called to order by Mayor Myrna Kragness at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Mayor Myrna Kragness, Councilmembers Kathleen Carmody, Kay Lasman, and Bob Peppe.
Councilmember Diane Niesen was absent and unexcused. Also present: Interim Assistant City
Manager/Director of Public Works Sharon Klumpp and Deputy City Clerk Maria Rosenbaum.
Charter Commission Members present: Sylvester Knapp, Roni Brunner, Walter Bursch, Kris
Lawrence - Anderson, Stanley Leino, Harold Middleton, Eileen Oslund, Richard Phillips, Richard
Theis, and R. Carl Wolter.
The City Council and Charter Commission Members discussed the current language written in
Section 3.01 of the City Charter and the proposed amendment. The Charter Commission had
recommended the amendment to Section 3.01 after the Legislature made changes to Minnesota
Elections Laws in 2000. They clarified that as a Home Rule City, it was not mandatory for this
current statutory language to be incorporated into the City Charter. There were questions regarding
when officers assume responsibility and concerns that the proposed language could be misinterpret.
A suggestion was made to seek the City Attorney's opinion regarding the proposed language and
verify the rules for reading Minnesota Statutes.
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Mayor Kragness recommended that the City Manager be directed to refer the proposed amendment
in Section 3.01 of the City Charter to the City Attorney for clarification and to get a legal response as
to the exact terminology of the sentence, "All officers chosen and qualified as such shall hold office
until their successors qualify ".
Charter Commissioner Roni Brunner suggested getting annotations regarding the change made by the
Legislature and find some history as to why the amendment was incorporated to Minnesota Statutes.
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There was a motion by Charter Commissioners Stanley Leino, seconded by Walter Bursch to have
the City Council direct the City Manager to seek an opinion from the City Attorney regarding the
official date when officers assume responsibility, the significance of being sworn in, the
interpretation of the sentence "All officers chosen and qualified as such shall hold office until their
successors qualify ", and that the amendment proposed to the City Council not be acted upon at this
time.
MISCELLANEOUS
Councilmember Lasman questioned the status of an amendment to Section 4.05 of the Ci ty Charter
giving candidates for office a deadline of two days following the filing date to withdraw their name
from nomination. The Charter Commission recalls that they had recommended adoption of the
amendment by the City Council last summer and suggested that this issue be researched. Interim
Assistant City Manager Sharon Klumpp will seek input from the City Clerk and advise the City
Council and Charter Commission.
Councilmember Lasman suggested that the Charter Commission consider amending Section 3.07.
She informed the Charter Commission that the City Council does not read each resolution in its
entirety at Council meetings and asked if a blanket policy should be created. Chair Sylvester Knapp
discussed the reason for that was to make sure the public understood the resolutions. It was noted
that the materials are available at Council meetings if an individual had questions on a resolution.
Councilmember Lasman questioned why the sentence regarding department heads had been removed
on page 15, Section 6.03, Subdivision 3. Charter Commissioner R. Carl Wolter discussed that the
Charter Commission had considered being consistent with the overall scope of administrative
responsibility assigned to the City Manager and felt that the line should be removed. Chair Sylvester
Knapp added that concern about the complexity of laws applicable to removal of employees was a
primary reason for deleting the sentence.
Mayor Kragness requested that the City Charter have the date and year on the front cover when
amendments are incorporated.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion by Councilmember Lasman, seconded by Councilmember Peppe to adjourn the work
session at 8:17 p.m.
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City Clerk Nr / Pr Tern
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