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CHM 10/26/2009 - 29988CITY OF FRIDLEY CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING October 26, 2009 CALL TO ORDER: Commissioner Jorgenson called the Charter Commission meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. ROLL CALL: Members Present: Commissioners Braam, Findell, Flickinger, Hoiby, Holm, Jorgenson, Kranz, Reynolds, Scholzen, and Shaw Members Absent: Commissioners Borman, Nelson, Plummer, Ryan and Soule Others Present: Deb Skogen, City Clerk/Staff Liaison Cindy Ruschy, Staff Liaison APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Braam MOVED and Commissioner Findell seconded a motion approving the meeting agenda. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, COMMISSIONER JORGENSON DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Holm MOVED and Commissioner Shaw seconded a motion approving the Charter Commission meeting minutes of September 28, 2009. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, COMMISSIONER JORGENSON DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS A. 2010 Calendar The dates were reviewed and discussed by the Commission Commissioner Hoiby MOVED and Commissioner Braam seconded a motion scheduling the 2010 Charter Commission meetings on January 25, February 22, March 29, April 26, May 24, September 27, October 25, and November 22. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, COMMISSIONER JORGENSON DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. B. Status of Ordinance No. 1260 Ms. Skogen stated Ordinance 1260 had been adopted in July and a referendum petition was received. On October 12"' the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2010 -54 scheduling the election and declaring the ballot language. The Special Election was scheduled for December 8"' and staff was in the process of receiving election judge applications to work the special election. Adopted 01 -25 -2010 CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING OF OCTOBER 26, 2009 PAGE 2 Commissioner Holm asked if we had received some absentee ballots yet. Ms. Skogen said the application was available and had received 3. We will issue absentee ballots 30 days before the election. She stated both pieces of equipment, the AutoMark and the Accu -Vote will be used. She also said information about the election was available on the website. Commissioner Jorgenson wondered if the word revenue would be confusing to voters. Commissioner Holm said he had a friend who worked as an election judge in Minneapolis and there is run -off voting, but that the machines are not programmed to count that type of an election. He thought the outcome would be interesting. Commissioner Kranz asked if someone voted a blank ballot if it would be counted as a no vote. Ms. Skogen said it would not because we are using state law for the outcome of this election which says voting on the question. DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 7 Ms. Skogen said she included the Task Force minutes from 2000 and 2001 due to the question about the word "all." According to these minutes, "all" would mean all residents or citizens versus having a license affecting only certain types of individuals. So if the City were to adopt a franchise fee or tax levy, it would affect all property owners, or all citizens depending on the type of fee or levy. A franchise fee would affect renters, tax exempt properties like churches or schools, and all business. A tax levy would only affect property owners within the City. There seems to have been a change in opinion about franchise fees and what the costs would be. Commissioner Findell wondered if there was an additional fee tacked on to collect the fees. Ms. Skogen said no it was just a flat fee that they would collect and forward to the City. During discussions with Xcel Energy and Centerpointe, the energy companies preferred the flat rate instead of a percentage of the bill. If it was a flat rate, it would be the same every month and it would be consistent. If it was a percentage of a bill, the bill would fluctuate monthly, the amount coming into the city would vary from quarter to quarter. If $1.50 and $1.75 were charged between the two companies it would net the city approximately $1 million. It would cost most residents about $39 annually rather than the $82 for a property tax levy increase. Commissioner Jorgenson wondered if anyone had been paying attention to the real estate values in the city. She said a house down the street from her, a three bedroom rambler with garage was sold for $118,000. She said a home on Onondaga Street went for about $168,000. She said the values of the homes in Fridley were lower. Commissioner Kranz wondered if anyone had received the cost of their home insurance values and wondered if they had attempted to re- evaluate the value of the home to lower the insurance, but understood the cost to rebuilt the home would cost more and that the policy cost probably would not go down. Ms. Skogen said when the Commissioners left the meeting in May they were using the Holm Amendment as a blank slate to make changes to. She said at the last meeting Commissioner Reynolds said the language she added in May was not meant to go on the Holm amendment. Commissioner Jorgenson said she had seconded the motion and she did mean for it to be on the Holm amendment. Commissioner Findell said he thought they had changed Chapter 7 with the amendment recommended to the Council in June and asked why it was being discussed or changed again? Commissioner Jorgenson said before they left for summer, they were pretty much done, but needed to know what was going to happen with the Legislature and Governor. Again, Commissioner Findell felt since they had met in June and proposed the language to the Council, they were done with this issue. Adopted 01 -25 -2010 CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING OF OCTOBER 26, 2009 PAGE 3 Ms. Skogen said staff brought it back the way it was left from the meeting in May because it was a special meeting in June. The Commissioners all agree they were discussing the Holm amendment and also that they felt they were done. Commissioner Findell MOVED and Commissioner Braam seconded a motion tabling the discussion on Chapter 7 until the January, 2010 meeting. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, COMMISSIONER JORGENSON DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. DISCUSSION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Ms. Skogen said there will be a new Federal Law changing absentee ballot voting for the military from 30 days to 45 days. She said this would require new legislation moving the state primary to August. The school buildings are empty, but some buildings are being worked on. Some individuals may be on vacation, but you can still vote by absentee. She felt the change would happen early in the legislative session to help accommodate the 2010 schedule. Commissioner Holm MOVED and Commissioner Findell seconded a motion canceling the November meeting due to the upcoming election. They felt there was nothing else pressing on the agenda and felt it would be better discussing it after the election, but after further discussion Commissioner Braam suggested not canceling the meeting in case something important was necessary for discussion. Commissioners Holm and Findell withdrew the motion. It was determined if there was no business to bring to the Commission, the Chairperson could cancel the meeting. The Commissioners discussed why the referendum petition was submitted, which was some people don't agree that the council should be allowed to have a special election and that voters don't come out unless they are typically strongly for or against the issue. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Holm MOVED and Commissioner Findell seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, COMMISSIONER JORGENSON DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 7:40 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Debra A. Skogen, City Clerk/Staff Liaison Carol Hoiby, Secretary Adopted 01 -25 -2010