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CHM 09/27/2004 - 00027125CITY OF FRIDLEY CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING September 27, 2004 CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Findell called the Charter Commission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL- Members Present: Braam, Findell, Garcia, Gordon, Heck, Holm, Linder, Soule, Van Dan Members Absent: Borman, Fitzpatrick, Gerrety, Johnson, Jorgenson Others Present: Deb Skogen, City Clerk/Staff Liaison 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: MOTION by Commissioner Gordon seconded by Commissioner Garcia to approve the agenda. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON FINDELL DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 2. APPROVAL OF MAY 24, 2004, CHARTER COMMISSION MINUTES: MOTION by Commissioner Gordon seconded by Commissioner Heck to approve the May 24, 2004, Charter Commission Minutes. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON FINDELL DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Commissioner Gary Braam attended the meeting for the first time and introductions were made. There was a brief discussion and review of the charter amendment recommended to the City Council in Marcy from the Charter Commission. The Commissioners recommended that a ballot be included with the ballot language on the amendment for the neat meeting. 4. DISCUSSION OF MISSION STATEMENT /GLOSSARY AND /OR INDEX Chairperson Findell asked Commissioner Van Dan if he had had time to prepare a mission statement Commissioner Van Dan gave a brief review of the Fridley's Charter Commission and said that the Charter Commission was a separate entity from the City Council and had the power to levy a tax to cover its expenses. Commissioner Van Dan stressed the importance of remaining an independent voice to give direction to the City Council. Commissioner Van Dan had been ill and had not had time to prepare a mission statement. Commissioner Gordon agreed there should be a mission statement Commissioner Heck felt there should be a process. Adopted 11 -22 -04 CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 27, 2004 PAGE 2 Commissioner Soule said that her employer recently redid their mission statement and thought it would be interesting to go through the process. Commissioner Heck said the Commission had been waiting for Commissioner Van Dan to bring something and that if he couldn't prepare it, maybe they should discuss it among the group. Commissioner Holm said he preferred to have something to look at or start with for discussion purposes. Commissioner Soule recommended having a flip chart to allow the Commissioners to brainstorm with words and phrases to help Commissioner Van Dan put something together. Commissioner Heck said there was a purpose in the Charter. Commissioner Garcia agreed he would like to see something in writing to work from, even if it was talking points to start with. Commissioner Gordon asked Commissioner Van Dan if something could be prepared for the next meeting. Commissioner Heck said that the Commission should refer to the statutes when discussion the mission statement. Commissioner Holm asked if the Charter Commission really had taxing authority to operate. Ms. Skogen said that the state statutes allowed the Charter Commission to spend up to 1,000 a year if needed but could not find anything in the statutes about taxing authority. She would review the statutes again before the next meeting. Commissioner Heck asked if the Commission wanted to vote on the definition of eminent domain. Commissioner Soule asked if the Charter meeting minutes were posted on the web site. Ms. Skogen said not at this time. Commissioner Van Dan thought the glossary should be part of the Charter so there was not doubt about the definition of the terms used. Commissioner Van Dan said that the courts may enforce the law without really understanding the verbiage that was used, so they should be careful. For instance tax imposed or levy had different nuances; or that fees were really a cost for service. Commissioner Van Dan felt the language should be consistent throughout the charter. Commissioner Gordon felt that the city attorney and the city council should review the terminology in the glossary or index before they determine whether it should be part of the charter or not. It was recommended that the Charter Commission review the Charter chapter by chapter so if there was language someone didn't understand they could bring it forward to the Commission to discuss. At this time they preferred to wait on voting on the definition of eminent domain and directed the members to read Chapters I and 2 before the next meeting. ADJOURNMENT: MOTION by Commissioner Gordon seconded by Commissioner Heck to adjourn the meeting. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON FINDELL DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 7:50 P.M. Respectfully submitted, "dAswosj Debra A. Skogen, City C k/Staff Liaison Anita Gerrety, Secretary Adopted 11 -22 -04