CHM 03/27/2000 - 00027217CITY OF FRIDLEY
CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING
March 27, 2000
CALL TO ORDER:
Chairperson Holm called the Charter Commission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Members Present: Alvite' Warren, Findell, Fitzpatrick, Gordon, Holm, Monden, Nielsen, Querimit,
Soule
Members Absent: LaFave, Van Dan
Others Present: Deb Skogen, City Clerk
APPROVAL OF NOVEMBER 29, 1999, CHARTER COMMISSION MINUTES:
It was requested that the minutes be amended as follows: On page 1 last paragraph, change Committee to
Commission and on the last page change Middelstadt to Holm.
MOTION by Commissioner Gordon, second by Commissioner Soule to approve the February 28, 2000,
Charter Commission Minutes as amended.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON HOLM DECLARED THE MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
MOTION by Commissioner Gordon, second by Commissioner Monden to approve the agenda as written.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON HOLM DECLARED THE MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
1. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.
A. Discussion of Public Disclosure Statement
Section 5.02 of the City Code states that this Chapter shall be applicable to all members of the City
Council and the following advisory bodies: Planning, Community Development, Appeals, Parks and
Recreation, Environmental Quality, Human Resources, Cable Television, and Energy Commissions
and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority. It was felt that the Charter Commission was not
required to complete the Disclosure Statements. It was determined that the City Council did not have
authority over the Charter Commission as they were appointed by the Court.
Adopted April 24, 2000
CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING OF MARCH 27, 2000
PAGE 2
Skogen explained the process she used for sending the Public Disclosure Statements out to each
Commission. She noted that the forms had not been completed for several years and was just following
the code.
The Commissioners were comfortable signing the statement as they did not want to be accused of
hiding anything.
B. Discussion of Commission Vacancies
Chairperson Holm said he contacted Mr. Stouffer who acknowledged he had moved from the City and
would be sending a letter of resignation to the Commission, but it had not yet been received. He also
spoke with Mike LaFave and found that he had accepted a job in Washington, DC, and commuted each
week and would also submit a letter of resignation. Letters of resignation had been received from Mike
Dunlap and Irving Olsen. Holm requested that there be a vote by the Commission requesting that
LaFave and Stouffer be removed from the Commission for non - attendance. He felt if they were still
considered members, it would be harder to get a quorum.
Commissioner Fitzpatrick MOVED and Commissioner Gordon seconded a motion requesting that the
City Clerk prepare a letter to the District Judge requesting removal of Commissioners Stouffer and
LaFave, as well as notifying him of the letters of resignation from Olsen, Nee, and Dunlap.
Commissioner Gordon wondered if we could send thank you letters to the outgoing commissioners
thanking them for their participation on the Commission.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON HOLM DECLARED THE
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Commissioner Gordon wondered about what the requirement of membership to the Charter
Commission as the by -laws did not state whether or not you had to be a resident. It was determined
that this matter would be discussed at the next meeting.
C. Election of Officers
Chairperson Holm opened nominations from the floor for any other candidates for office.
Commissioner Findell MOVED and Commissioner Fitzpatrick seconded a motion that the nominations
be closed and that a unanimous ballot be cast as recommended by the Elections Committee for Suzanne
Alvite' Warren for Chair, Craig Gordon for Vice Chair and Deborah Monden for Secretary.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON HOLM DECLARED THE
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUS. It was then determined that Commissioner Alvite' Warren
would Chair the next meeting.
Chairperson Fitzpatrick thanked Commissioner Holm for his outstanding job during the past two years.
Adopted April 24, 2000
CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING OF MARCH 27, 2000
PAGE 3
2. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF REVISED SECTION 2.06.01: VACANCIES IN THE
COUNCIL
The Commissioners all agreed that Chapter 2 was ready to be recommended to the City Council.
Skogen reviewed the process and they agreed to send it to the Council after the minutes are approved
and that it be sent with Chapter 5.
3. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF REVISED CHAPTER 5, INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM
AND RECALL
The word proposed was placed on pages 3, 5 and 7 referring to the different petitions and that on page
7 movement be changed to recall.
Commissioner Gordon MOVED and Commissioner Findell seconded a motion approving Chapter 5, as
amended, and to submit Chapter 5 and Chapter 2.06 to the City Council after the meeting minutes are
approved at the next meeting.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON HOLM DECLARED THE MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUS.
Skogen reviewed the calendar noting their recommendation would go to the City Council for a public
hearing on May 22nd.
4. CONSIDERATION OF REVIEW OF CHAPTER 6 (6.05 -6.07) AND 8 (SECTION 8.05)
Skogen noted that Chapter 6, Sections 6.05 and 6.07 did not have to be amended as those sections
referenced the State Statutes and did not reference a specific dollar amount. She said she had spoke
with the Finance Director and he recommended amending Chapter 8 to refer to state statutes rather
than limiting or changing dollar amounts in the future.
Commissioner Holm wondered if they wanted the city to be more restrictive than the state statutes and
wondered if their limits were reasonable.
Commissioner Gordon requested historical expenditure information on public works projects. How
many projects did the City contract with themselves and what would those costs be, as well as projects
that are contracted out and what those expenditures might be.
Skogen said some of the amounts might be in the budget, which would be project that would be
approved by the Council with the approval of the budget.
Commissioner Fitzpatrick wondered about cost overruns on projects.
Commissioner Findell wondered if the dollar amount limits in the current Charter were up to today's
standards and how could they know what might be right.
The Commissioners requested Skogen invite John Flora to one of their next meetings to discuss this
Chapter.
Adopted April 24, 2000
CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING OF MARCH 27, 2000
5. CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION
A. Commission Vacancies
PAGE 4
B. Membership By -laws
C. Review of Chapter 8, Section 8.05 pertaining to contracts to try to bring the code up to today's
standards.
ADJOURNMENT:
MOTION by Commissioner Gordon seconded by Commissioner Soule to adjourn the meeting.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON HOLM DECLARED THE MOTION
CARRIED AND THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 8:00 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra A. Skogen
Staff Liaison
Adopted April 24, 2000