HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019/04/25 - ADMIN - Minutes - Charter Commission - Regular
OFFICIAL MINUTES
CHARTER COMMISSION MEETING
ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA
April 25, 2019
6:00 p.m. – City Council Chambers, Community Room
1. Call to Order
Chair Maaske called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. Roll Call and Attendance
Members Present: JC Beckstrand, Jim Brimeyer, Gary Carlson, Jim de Lambert, Terry Dwyer,
David Dyer, Andrew Rose, Sara Maaske, Erin Smith, and Henry Solmer.
Members Absent: David Ault, Lynne Carper, Matthew Flory
Others Present: Melissa Kennedy (City Clerk), Michael Sund (Elections Specialist – Outreach and
Education), and Robert Stokka (Elections Specialist)
3. Approval of Minutes
a. Minutes of March 13, 2018 Charter Commission Meeting
It was moved by Commissioner Brimeyer, seconded by Commissioner Dwyer, to approve the
minutes of March 13, 2018 as presented. The motion passed 10-0.
4. Old Business
a. Presentation – Update on ranked-choice voting outreach, education, and
implementation.
Elections staff provided an update to the Charter Commission on the ongoing plans related to
the implementation of ranked-choice voting for municipal election in 2019 and the programs
and initiatives planned for voter outreach and education.
5. New Business
a. Proposed Annual Report for District Court – Year 2018
It was moved by Commissioner de Lambert, seconded by Commissioner Brimeyer, to approve the
2018 Annual Report and to direct staff to submit to the report to the District Court. The motion
passed 10-0.
b. Election of Officers
Chair Maaske stated that the Election of Officers for Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary takes place
at each annual meeting.
It was moved by Commissioner Dyer, seconded by Commissioner Rose, to appoint Sara Maaske
as Chair of the Charter Commission until the next annual meeting of the Charter Commission. The
motion passed 10-0.
Charter Commission Minutes -2- March 13, 2018
It was moved by Commissioner Rose, seconded by Commissioner Brimeyer, to appoint David Dyer
as Vice Chair of the Charter Commission until the next annual meeting of the Charter Commission.
The motion passed 10-0.
It was moved by Commissioner Brimeyer, seconded by Commissioner Dyer, to appoint Terry
Dwyer as Secretary of the Charter Commission until the next annual meeting of the Charter
Commission. The motion passed 10-0.
c. Legislative update – verbal
Ms. Kennedy stated staff continues to monitor pending legislation, particularly anything related
to elections. At this time, it doesn’t appear that any pending legislation would directly conflict
with current charter provisions.
d. Potential charter review to identify/update outdated provisions and language
Ms. Kennedy explained that the city council requested a review of the charter to update any
outdated language, insert gender-neutral language, and to make sure there are no direct conflicts
with state law.
The commission discussed the council request. Following their discussion, the Charter
Commission directed staff to work with the city attorney’s office to review the charter in its
current form and provide a report to the commission detailing any legal inconsistencies that need
to be addressed. They also directed staff to work with an appropriate consultant to update the
charter with gender-neutral language and to provide a report of the commission detailing the
suggested changes. The commission asked for both items to be returned to them this fall and
agreed to schedule a meeting in September of 2019 to discuss and review these items. The
commission indicated after reviewing both of these items they would come up with a plan to
review the charter for instances of outdated language or provisions that no longer reflect current
practice.
6. Future Meetings
The commission asked staff to coordinate a meeting of the commission in September, 2019.
7. Communications – None.
8. Adjournment
It was moved by Commissioner Brimeyer, seconded by Commissioner Beckstrand, to adjourn the
meeting. The motion passed 10-0.
The meeting adjourned at 7:16 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by: Melissa Kennedy, City Clerk