2013-03-18 MinutesRichfield Charter Commission
Meeting Minutes
March 18,2013
Present: Sid Rehwaldt, Bill Kilian,Kristal Stokes, Bill Bullock, Reed Bornholdt, Marty
Kirsch,Gordon Herboldt, Gordon Hanson , Mike Sandahl and Corrine Heine,City
Attorney.
Excused: David Gepner (arrived 8:22pm), Jeff Karr
Absent: Donna Drummond, Ruth Jensen, John Easterwood and Amy Zabransky
The meeting was called to order by President Mary Kirsch at 7:00 pm.
Following the roll call, Marty Kirsch asked for a motion to approve the minutes from the
January 29, 2013 meeting. Motion was made by Bill Kilian , seconded by Bill
Bullock.Motion passed.
Old Business: none
New Business: City Attorney Corrine Heine presented proposed changes to the
following five Charter Sections:
1)Section 4.01 of The Section Adoption; effective date; filing changing that the notice of
the time and place of holding the election and the officers to be elected be posted at
the City Clerkʼs office and on the city Website rather than being posted in every
precinct.
It was also recommended that the language requiring that a true copy of the ballot be
placed in each precinct for the Canvass of election be removed from section 4.07 to
comply with State Law
Moved by Mike Sandahl. Seconded by Bill Kilian. Motion passed.
2)Amendments to Section 7.01 adding Subdivision 1 of the Richfield City Charter in
regards to public expenditure of funds to provide clarity that the City Council has the
authority to approve by order or resolution certain expenditures for the fiscal year as
follows:
Subd. 2. The City must spend public funds only for public purposes. The council
may provide by ordinance or by resolution that certain expenditures serve a public
purpose consistent with state law. A resolution shall be effective only for the fiscal year
in which it is adopted.
Motion by Mike Sandahl. Second by Gordon Herboldt. Motion passed.
3)Amendment to Section 8.04 of the Richfield City Carter changing the dollar amounts
of capital improvement estimated costs from $500,000.00 to $1,000,000.00 and
engineering costs form $75,000.00 to $150,000.00 as well as adding language to
provide that this section applies to property that is leased owned by the City,
excluding street and utility rights.
Discussion followed regarding the dollar amounts as realistic in todayʼs environment,
the role that the capital improvement budget plays and the public hearing process.
Mike Sandal moved an amendment to the proposed changes of costs exceeding
$5,000,000. 00 and $1 million in engineering costs. The motions failed for lack of
second.
Bill Kilian moved that the motions be amended to $2,500,000.00 and $200,000.00.
Seconded by Bill Bullock. Motion passed.
4)It was recommended by the City Attorney that section 6.05 be bought into compliance
with Minnesota Statutes Section 471.345 in regards to city contracts being awarded
on merit of “best value” vs. “lowest bid.” The City Council will approve contracts
based on the recommendation of the City Manager when the amounts are equal or
greater than the dollar amounts in the state statute. For amounts lower than defined
by the statute, the City Manager may approve the contracts.
Motion by Mike Sandahl. Second by Bill Kilian. Motion passed.
5) The City Attorney recommended amending charter language to section 5.01, 5.04,
5.05, 5.06, 5.07, 5.08, 5.11, 5.12, 5.14, 5.15, 5.16, 5.17, 5.18, 5.19, 5.20, and scvtion
3.09 in regard to initiative and referendum to organize and clarify the chapter, thus
making it more effective. In addition section 5.02 was recommended to be moved to
section 5.22.
The group discussed the number of residents required to form a committee with the
purpose of circulating a petition. In section 5.04. The group discussed additional
changes to the information that is to be required in the committeeʼs affidavit in section
5.04 as well as the proposed language changes to the other sections.
All changes to chapter 5 were moved by Mike Sandahl. Seconded by Bill Bullock.
Motion passed.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:27.