HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010/04/14 - ADMIN - Minutes - Charter Commission - Regular
OFFICIAL MINUTES
CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING
ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA
April 14, 2010
7:00 p.m. – Council Chambers City Hall
1. Call to Order
Chair Fiderlein called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. Roll Call and Attendance
Members Present: JC Beckstrand, Lynne Carper, Jim de Lambert, Brian Fiderlein, Matthew
Flory, Ken Gothberg, Jim Kelly, Erica Gutmann Strohl, Gary Carlson, and Brittney Turner.
Members Absent: Jim Brimeyer (excused); Nathan Prosser (excused); Pat Skinner (excused);
and Terry Dwyer.
Others Present: Nancy Stroth, City Clerk/Charter Commission Liaison.
2a. Requests for Excused Absences
It was moved by Commissioner Beckstrand, seconded by Commissioner Carper to accept
excused absences of Jim Brimeyer, Nathan Prosser, and Pat Skinner. The motion was
unanimously approved.
3. Approval of Minutes
Chair Fiderlein inquired if anyone had changes to the minutes of March 10, 2010.
Commissioner Beckstrand requested that Item 2a Requests for Excused Absences be amended to
correct the spelling of his last name.
The minutes of March 10, 2010 were accepted as amended.
4. Old Business
4a. Charter Sections 6.09 and 6.10 Review – “City Treasurer” language housekeeping
amendments – City Finance Department reorganization
Ms. Stroth reviewed the housekeeping amendments to Sections 6.09 and 6.10 regarding the
director of finance terminology and reference to “designated City Treasurer” recently approved
at the March 10 meeting. Ms. Stroth stated that with city staff reorganization, the position of
Finance Director is now titled Controller and serves as the City Treasurer. She referred to City
Council Resolution No. 10-011 agenda attachment in which the City Council approved the
appointment of Brian Swanson as the City Treasurer on February 1, 2010. She stated the City
Attorney was contacted and indicated there would not be a concern with the word “designated”
being deleted when making reference to the City Treasurer.
Commissioner Carper indicated he reviewed the Charter for all references to City Treasurer.
Discussion took place regarding the need for consistency of terminology throughout the Charter.
It was the consensus of the commissioners to remove the word ”designated” so that all references
to City Treasurer remain consistent throughout the Charter.
Charter Commission Minutes -2- April 14, 2010
It was moved by Commissioner Kelly, seconded by Commissioner Turner to revise Sections 6.09
and 6.10 of the City Charter to read as follows:
Section 6.09. Levy and Collection of Taxes.
“Each year the Council shall levy the taxes necessary to meet the requirements of the budget for
the ensuing fiscal year in the manner prescribed by State law. The designated City Treasurer
shall transmit a statement of the taxes levied to the County Auditor annually. Such taxes shall be
collected and their payment shall be enforced at the time and in the same manner as State and
County taxes. No tax shall be invalid because of any informality in the manner of levying the
same, nor because the amount levied exceeds the amount required to be raised for the purpose
for which it was levied. Any surplus shall go into a suspense fund, and shall be used to reduce
the levy for the ensuing year.”
Section 6.10. Tax Settlement with County.
“The designated City Treasurer shall ensure that all monies in the County Treasury belonging to
the City are promptly turned over to the City according to law.”
The motion was unanimously approved.
5. New Business
Commissioner Kelly indicated he would not be seeking reappointment for his term ending in
October.
Commissioner Gothberg proposed that the commission move ahead to meet again in March of
next year.
6. Future Meetings
Chair Fiderlein cancelled the September 8, 2010 previously scheduled meeting and set the next
meeting for Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
7. Communications
There were no communication items.
8. Adjournment
Motion by Commissioner Kelly, seconded by Commissioner Beckstrand to adjourn the meeting
at 7:20 p.m.
The motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted by: Nancy Stroth, Liaison and Lynne Carper, Secretary