City Council Meeting Date: October 16, 2018
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Ben Martig, City Administrator
Title
Receive Proposed Charter Amendment to Section 3.8 Subd. 2 and Call for a Public Hearing.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council is asked to consider approving the attached Resolution receiving the amendment to Section 3.8, Subd. 2 proposed by the Charter Commission and calling for a public hearing.
Summary Report:
The Northfield Charter Commission adopted the attached proposed changes to Northfield Charter Section 3.8, Subd. 2 at their September 27, 2018 meeting. Charter Commission Chair Lance Heisler submitted the attached amendment (attachment 3) to the City Clerk on October 8, 2018 and requested to begin the process for presentation of the proposed amendment to the City Council. This was the “option 2” at the Council joint worksession with the Charter Commission that was discussed in detail. Mr. Heisler is not able to be at the meeting on Tuesday but has requested to attend the public hearing with an opportunity to present the request.
The attached 2011 memo from City Attorney Chris Hood (attachment 4) details the procedure for the Charter Commission to Seek Amendments to the Northfield City Charter. The City is statutorily required to go through the process once a proposal has been formally submitted. A copy of Minn. Stat. §410.12 referenced in the memo is attached (attachment 5). City Attorney Hood has reviewed this item.
Charter amendments require a unanimous vote of all seven members of the City Council to pass. If all seven members are not going to be present for the December 4 and December 11 (if the first reading passes), we will need to look at adding a special meeting.
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
N/A
Tentative Timelines:
Please see attachment 6.