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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025/03/10 - ADMIN - Agenda Packets - Charter Commission - RegularAgenda Charter Commission Meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota March 10, 2025 5:30 p.m. – St. Louis Park City Hall The mission of the Charter Commission is to evaluate and propose changes which are warranted in the city’s Home Rule Charter as provided by state statute. Home rule charters are, in effect, local constitutions passed by local voters and cannot conflict with state laws. Commissioners are appointed by the Chief Judge of Hennepin County District Court and serve on a volunteer basis. Commissioners are not appointed by the city council. Staff help prepare agendas and perform other administrative duties at the direction of the commission. The St. Louis Park Charter Commission meets in person at St. Louis Park City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd. 1. Call to order 2. Roll call 3. Minutes a. April 29, 2024 Charter Commission meeting 4. Old Business 5. New Business a. Election of officers c. Approve 2024 annual report d. Legislative update (verbal discussion) 6. Future Meetings a. Set schedule 7. Communications 8. Adjourn Members of the public can attend St. Louis Park Charter Commission meetings in person. Official minutes of meetings are available on the city website once approved. Charter Commission meetings are not recorded or broadcast. If you need special accommodations or have questions about the meeting, please call 952.924.2505. UNOFFICIAL MINUTES Charter Commission Meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota April 29, 2024 5:30 p.m. – St. Louis Park City Hall 1. Call to order. Chair Beckstrand called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. He asked the commission for a moment of silence to recognize the passing of Commissioner David Ault and honor his service to the community. 2. Roll call and attendance. Members present: JC Beckstrand, Jim Brimeyer, Gary Carlson, Lynne Carper, Jim de Lambert, Terry Dwyer and Henry Solmer. Members absent: Andrew Rose Others present: Melissa Kennedy (city clerk), Amanda Scott-Lerdal (deputy city clerk) 3. Approval of minutes. a. Minutes of July 28, 2021 Charter Commission meeting It was moved by Commissioner Carlson, seconded by Commissioner Brimeyer, to approve the minutes as presented. The motion passed 7-0. 4. Old business a. Update on discussion with city council regarding possible amendments to Chapter 2 and Chapter 12 of the St. Louis Park Home Rule Charter Chair Beckstrand introduced the item and provided a recap of a previous discussion with the city council related to possible amendments to chapters 2 and 12 of the charter. He stated the question for the group is whether this is something the group wants to continue to pursue. Commissioner Brimeyer stated he wants elected officials to know that they should divulge conflicts of interest immediately and that people are watching closely and want accountability from their elected representatives. Commissioner Carper asked if this was reactive to a prior question surrounding a former city council member or if this was a larger issue. Chair Beckstrand stated the commission initially looked at this in response to one specific situation and wants to avoid any confusion or perception of impropriety. Commissioner Dwyer stated he continues to be apprehensive about a lot of what was discussed and proposed. He explained that incrementalism may be a better approach and to really look at the root cause of the situation, such as seeking more clarity around the definition of conflict. Commissioner Solmer stated the fact that an incident occurred where there was a question of conflict means the commission should continue to be active in this area and he would also favor an incremental approach. Charter Commission minutes -2- April 29, 2024 Commissioner Carlson noted the time to act is when there is nothing happening rather than during an active situation to objectively look at the issue. Commissioner de Lambert stated he was not crazy about the idea in general because he does not view the commission’s role as that of oversight of the city council. He agreed if anything is done, it should be incremental. Chair Beckstrand summarized the feedback from the discussion. The consensus of the group was to look for ways in the future to review all sections of the charter to ensure they continue to be relevant, align with goals related to transparency and provide the level of clarity needed for effective interpretation and application. 5. New business a. Discuss recruitment needs and strategies Ms. Kennedy provided an overview of the recruitment strategies utilized by the city. She encouraged commissioners to think about their connections in the community and considered discussing this opportunity more broadly to increase awareness. She noted that many people are more likely to consider an opportunity if they are asked to participate by someone they already know and have a connection to. Commissioners agreed to share recruitment information within other community groups they were involved in and asked staff to prepare physical and digital resources that could be used to promote participation and outline the role and work of the commission. b. Election of officers for 2024 It was moved by Commissioner Beckstrand, seconded by Commissioner Carper, to appoint Terry Dwyer to the position of Chair of the Charter Commission. The motion passed 7-0. It was moved by Commissioner Dwyer, seconded by Commissioner Carlson, to appoint Jim de Lambert to the position of Vice Chair of the Charter Commission. The motion passed 7-0. It was moved by Commissioner de Lambert, seconded by Commissioner Dwyer, to appoint Lynne Carper to the position of Secretary of the Charter Commission. The motion passed 7-0. c. Annual report to the district court Chair Beckstrand reviewed the process to submit annual reports to the district court. After brief discussion, the commission agreed to continue with the current practice of staff preparing an annual report in collaboration with the current chair of the commission and facilitating submission to the court after review by the group. d. Official city communication channels Chair Beckstrand explained that he requested this topic be added to the agenda for a brief discussion to ensure that the current provisions of the charter were not restrictive and continued Charter Commission minutes -3- April 29, 2024 to align with the goal of promoting transparency in government. He stated people get their information from many different sources and it is important that people have a way to stay informed from trusted resources. Ms. Kennedy stated the city utilizes multiple communication strategies and tools to provide opportunities for people to stay informed and to understand what is happening at the city level. She explained the charter aligns with state laws related to official legal notices and the city tries to go above and beyond the minimum requirements by providing information to people via different pathways. She noted that one of the city’s strategic priorities is centered on engagement and this reflects both the city council’s and the community’s expectations that the city provide meaningful ways for people to stay engaged and informed. Commissioners discussed the importance of transparency in government and that the charter should, where appropriate and possible, continue to reflect that this is an expectation in the city. 6. Future meetings The commission asked staff to coordinate a meeting of the commission in March 2025. 7. Communications 8. Adjournment It was moved by Commissioner Brimeyer, seconded by Commissioner Carper to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed 7-0. The meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted by: Melissa Kennedy, city clerk ST. LOUIS PARK CHARTER COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT Calendar Year Ending December 31, 2024 The St. Louis Park Charter Commission is active and met once in 2024. The commission did not make any changes to the city’s charter in 2024 and deemed the existing provisions to be satisfactory. Election of officers The Charter Commission held elections for officers at its annual meeting on April 29, 2024. Commissioner Terry Dwyer was elected to the position of Chair, Commissioner Jim De Lambert was elected to the position of Vice Chair, and Commissioner Irving Lynne Carper was elected to the position of Secretary. Resignations • November 1, 2024 – JC (Jon) Beckstrand Respectfully Submitted: Terry Dwyer, Chair Melissa Kennedy, City Clerk 3810 Inglewood Ave. S. 5005 Minnetonka Blvd. St. Louis Park MN 55416 St. Louis Park MN 55416 mkennedy@stlouisparkmn.gov 952.928.2840