City Council Meeting Date: January 2, 2018
To: City Council
City Administrator
From: Mayor Rhonda Pownell
Title
Consider Approval of Board/Commission and Council Appointments.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the following board/commission and Council appointments:
Arts & Culture Commission
• Alyssa Herzog Melby reappointed to the Arts & Culture Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Paula Granquist reappointed to the Arts & Culture Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Heather Lawrenz appointed to the Arts & Culture Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
Economic Development Authority
• Rachel Leatham appointed to the Economic Development Authority for a six-year term ending December 31, 2023
Environmental Quality Commission
• Brian Nowak appointed to the Environmental Quality Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Carla Hansen appointed to the Environmental Quality Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Erica Zweifel appointed to the Environmental Quality Commission as an ex-officio (non voting) Council liaison
Heritage Preservation Commission
• Randy Lutz reappointed to the Heritage Preservation Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Cliff Clark appointed to the Heritage Preservation Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
Hospital Board
• Steve O’Neill reappointed to the Hospital Board for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Pete Sandberg appointed to the Hospital Board for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Fred Rogers appointed to the Hospital Board for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Rhonda Pownell appointed to the Hospital Board to fill a vacancy for a one-year term ending December 31, 2018
• Brad Ness appointed to the Hospital Board as an ex-officio (non voting) Council Liaison
Housing and Redevelopment Authority
• Brent Nystrom appointed to the Housing and Redevelopment Authority for a five year term ending December 31, 2022
Human Rights Commission
• Rigoberto Lazaro reappointed to the Human Rights Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Angelica Martina Dietz reappointed to the Human Rights Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Marshall Armstrong appointed to the Human Rights Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
Library Board
• Liz Reppe reappointed to the Library Board for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Clarice Grabau appointed to the Library Board for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Bradley Schaffner appointed to the Library Board for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Services Joint Powers Board
• Dana Graham reappointed to the Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Services Joint Powers Board to existing term ending December 31, 2018
• Bron Scherer reappointed to the Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Services Joint Powers Board for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Lee Runzheimer appointed to the Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Services Joint Powers Board for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
Park & Recreation Advisory Board
• Kristin Partlo reappointed to the Park & Recreation Advisory Board for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Beth Kallestad appointed to the Park & Recreation Advisory Board for a three-year term ending December 31, 2020
• Bonnie Keeler appointed to the Park & Recreation Advisory Board to fill a vacated term ending December 31, 2018
Planning Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals
• Aaron Swoboda appointed to the Planning Commission & Zoning Board of Appeals for a three year term ending December 31, 2020
• Betsey Buckheit appointed to the Planning Commission & Zoning Board of Appeals for a three year term ending December 31, 2020
• Suzie Nakasian appointed to the Planning Commission & Zoning Board of Appeals as an advisory member (ex-officio non voting member)
Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Brad Ness appointed to the Convention and Visitors Bureau for a one year term ending December 31, 2018
• Jenni Roney appointed to the Convention and Visitors Bureau for a one year term ending December 31, 2018
Rice/Steele 911 Center Board
• Suzie Nakasian reappointed to the Rice/Steele 911 Center Board for a one-year term ending December 31, 2018
Mill Towns Trail Joint Powers Board
• Suzie Nakasian reappointed to the Mill Towns Trail Joint Powers Board for a one-year term ending December 31, 2018.
• Greg Colby reappointed to the Mill Towns Trail Joint Powers Board for a one-year term ending December 31, 2018.
Beyond the Yellow Ribbon
• David DeLong - Council Liaison
Race Equity Team
• Richard DeBeau - HRC representative
Northfield Promise
• Rhonda Pownell - Council Liaison
Age Friendly
• David DeLong - Council Liaison
Mayor’s Youth Council
• Rhonda Pownell - main Council Liaison
• Ben Martig - main Staff liaison
Finance Policy Subcommittee
• Greg Colby appointed to the Finance Policy Subcommittee as the Chairperson
• David DeLong appointed to the Finance Policy Subcommittee
• Erica Zweifel appointed to the Finance Policy Subcommittee
• Bron Scherer appointed to the Finance Policy Subcommittee as an ex-officio community member liaison
Council City Employment Committee
• David DeLong appointed to the Council City Employment Committee as the Chairperson
• Greg Colby appointed to the Council City Employment Committee
• Rhonda Pownell appointed to the Council City Employment Committee
Summary Report:
The City Council is being asked to approve the appointments as noted above. Copies of the proposed appointees’ applications are attached rather than providing a summary for each applicant. The City received 54 applications. As part of the process, I met with available applicants for approximately 30 minutes each over the course of four days. These meetings provided me with a chance to get to know new applicants as well as provided a check-in time for those that I already know or that were re-applying for a position.
Dana Graham is being reappointed to the Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Services Joint Powers Board to fulfill the remainder of his existing term ending December 31, 2018. Mr. Graham was reappointed to a three-year term expiring December 31, 2018 in December 2015. There was confusion regarding advance notification of absences and therefore the Council is being asked to reappoint Mr. Graham for the remainder of his existing term. The NAFRS Joint Powers Agreement contains the following regarding attendance:
v. Each Board member must attend a minimum of 75% of the Board meetings to be held each calendar year. Failure to maintain this attendance requirement will require the appropriate appointing governing body to make another appointment to the Board. If desired by the appropriate appointing governing body, the same individual may be reappointed.
As you know, the City Strategic Plan (2018-2020) includes a Strategic Initiative to “develop and implement the Racial Equity Plan” for the City of Northfield under the “Diversity, Equity Inclusion: A Community that Welcomes Everyone” Strategic Priority area. In 2016, the City Council authorized a staff lead cohort team in 2017 to participate in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) program to begin exploring racial equity issues. The year one cohort has begun the process of developing a Racial Equity Action Plan and intends to continue to its development in cooperation with a second year GARE cohort team in 2018. The team will include staff as assigned by the City Administrator but also are recommending to add a representative of the Human Rights Commission who will be the advisory commission that will be working with staff on development of initiatives related to the plan, particularly surrounding public education and outreach. The Mayor is appointing the 2017 Chair of the Human Rights Commission Mr. Richard DeBeau to serve this role. He is not serving in any official officer position in 2018 for the Human Rights Commission but is still an active Commissioner. The GARE program does require substantial time commitments including training during the work day and Mr. DeBeau has indicated he has time available for the commitment.
There is a proposed addition of an ex-officio community liaison to be added to the Council Finance Policy Subcommittee. Council Committees are expressly required to have three councilors assigned but there is no specific language related to non-elected members of Council Committees (see Section 2-65 of the City Code for reference). Mayor Pownell is proposing the appointment of the ex-officio community liaison for 2018 as a trial period for re-evaluation at the end of 2018. She has spoken in advance to the current members of the Finance Policy Subcommittee (who are the same proposed appointees for 2018) so they are aware of this proposed addition. Mr. Bron Scherer is being appointed by Mayor Pownell to serve in this capacity based on his background, skills and abilities including his expertise in finance and accounting.
City Attorney Chris Hood has reviewed the issue of appointing a council member to the Hospital Board. Mr. Hood noted that the hospital board is not elected and he sees council membership on the hospital board to be no different than council membership on the Charter Commission, HRA or EDA. Mr. Hood provided the statutory and Charter provisions below related to granting the City such authority to appoint council members to the hospital board.
144.581 HOSPITAL AUTHORITIES. Subdivision 1. Nonprofit corporation powers. A municipality … that owns or operates a hospital authorized, organized, or operated under chapters 158, 250, 376, and 397, or under sections 412.221, 447.05 to 447.13, 447.31, or 471.59, or under any special law authorizing or establishing a hospital or hospital district shall, relative to the delivery of health care services, have, in addition to any authority vested by law, the authority and legal capacity of a nonprofit corporation under chapter 317A, including authority to: … (5) have members of its governing authority or its officers or administrators serve as directors, officers, or employees of the ventures, associations, or corporations; …
412.221 SPECIFIC POWERS OF COUNCIL. Subd. 16. Hospitals. The council shall have power to provide hospitals. The council of any city operating a municipal hospital may by ordinance establish a hospital board with such powers and duties of hospital management and operation as the council confers upon it; and the council may, by vote of all five members, abolish any board so established.
447.07 RULES. The city council may adopt rules for the operation of the hospitals and appoint a board to manage its hospital affairs and property, as it finds necessary.
Section 3.2. - Boards and Commissions.
… Any member of a city board or commission may be removed upon the affirmative vote of five (5) members of the council.
Section 14.2. - Hospital Board.
The control and management of all hospitals, convalescent homes, nursing homes, and related medical facilities including medical clinics, now or hereafter owned and operated by the City of Northfield shall be committed to a hospital board consisting of seven (7), eight (8) or nine (9) members as determined by the council. The members shall be residents of the Northfield School District with no more than two members residing outside the corporate limits of the City of Northfield. …
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
N/A
Tentative Timelines:
N/A