HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012 04-12 CHCMMINUTES OF APRIL 12, 2012
BROOKLYN CENTER
CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING
Called to order by Chairman Stan Leino at 6:37 PM
Roll Call
Present: Secretary Gary Brown called roll:Stan Leino Gary Brown, Gail Ebert, Robert Marvin, Harold Middleton,
Mary O’Connor, Eileen Oslund, Eric Pone, Bee Yang,and Mark Yelich.
Absent: Ellen Davis, Nathan Lackner, Renita WhickerExcused Absences: Ed Nelson
Consideration of Minutes
Chairman Leino determined that since the minutes of January 19 and February 4, 2012,were not included with the
meeting notice,that approval will be considered at the next meeting when the minutes can be included with the notice.
Old Business
a.Nominations for Secretary position. Gary Brown agreed to continue in the roll of secretary. Motion by
Marvin seconded by Yelich to nominate Gary Brown for Secretary. Motion by Marvin and seconded by
Pone to close the nominations, passed unanimously.
b.Reaffirmation of Recommendations of No Change to Sections 4.01 and 4.02 of City Charter from 2010.
Chairman Leino was directed by those members who were on the Charter Commission in 2010 to send a
letter to City Manager Curt Boganey that reaffirms the Commission’s position that there are no changes
needed in the City Charter to hold a City election and that in the opinion of the Charter Commission, the
City Charter is not in violation of state statute.
c.City Council’s reaction to Charter Commissions revision to eminent domain (Chapter 9). After
considerable discussion by all members of the Charter Commission, a motion was made by O’Connor,
seconded by Pone to revise the proposed new provision in Chapter 9.04 from 60 days to 90 days to
conform to the 90 day quick takeprovision in state statute. Yelich offered a friendly amendment,
seconded by Marvin (accepted by O’Connor and Pone) to add in parenthesis (by resolution) after the word
initiationandlater in the sentence crossing out the word “all” beforeparties and adding the words “of
interest” after the word parties so that the sentence will now read:The city has a 90 day period from the
initiation (by resolution) of the city council of eminent domain to dismiss proceedings unless an extension
is stipulated and agreed to by parties of interest.Pone moved to call the question and Yelich seconded and
motion passed unanimously. Chairman Leino then called the question and the changes were approved
unanimously 10-0.
New Business
a. Ward vs. At-large for City Council seats. Chairman Leino gave a brief overview of previous discussions by
the Charter Commission. Timothy Franklin, 6718 Bryant Avenue N., B.C. then passed out a memo written by
Mike Parks relating to the racial issues and lack of representation of an “at-large” system vs. a ward system for
City Council representation. Ruthy Dallas , 6419 Emerson Avenue N., B. C. stated that there was a need to get
more citizens involved in city government and that a “Ward” system does a better job of providing
representation to the citizens. Pone made a motion, seconded by O’Connor to appoint a sub-committee of the
commission to consist of Ebert, Marvin, Pone,and Yelich to study the “At-large vs. Ward” issue and come
back with recommendation by the next meeting of the Charter Commission, passed unanimously 10-0
Future meeting dates
: May 10, 2012, 6:30 PM.
Motion by Marvin, seconded by Middleton to adjourn the meeting at 9:47 PM. Passed unanimously (10-0).
Submitted for consideration,
Gary E. Brown, Secretary