VI.4. First Reading Ordinance No. 2024-1210 Amendment of the Hopkins Charter by Ordinance; Bishop
CITY OF HOPKINS
City Council Report 2024-1210
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
Mike Mornson, City Manager
From: Nick Bishop, Finance Director
Date: October 1, 2024
Subject: Ordinance 2024-1210 Amendment of the Hopkins Charter by Ordinance
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
MOTION TO Approve for First Reading Ordinance 2024-1210 Amendment of the
Hopkins Charter by Ordinance.
OVERVIEW
The City of Hopkins no longer has a local board of equalization for property valuations.
Hennepin County hosts “Open Book” meetings at various locations (Hopkins property
owners can attend any such meeting). Formal appeals are made to the Hennepin
County Board of Equalization. Removing the specific language on budget presentations
gives staff the discretion to present budgetary information in a clear and concise
manner. A preliminary budget and tax levy needs to be approved before September 30th
each year, not 30 days before final approval. The Disbursement changes remove
outdated language and allow flexibility for the city to implement modern approval
systems. The current practice for preparing quarterly financial reports is outdated and
the Charter Commission supported allowing staff to determine how the reports are
presented.
The Ordinance Amendment requires a 5-0 City Council vote to move forward for a
second reading on October 8. If the Ordinance Amendment does not have a unanimous
vote it will be sent back to the Charter Commission.
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
• Ordinance 2024-1210
Finance
CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE NO. 2024-1210
AMENDMENT OF THE HOPKINS CHARTER BY ORDINANCE
The City Council of the City of Hopkins, upon recommendation of and from the Hopkins City
Charter Commission does hereby ordain and thus amend and adopt the following changes,
deletions, and amendments of or from the following chapters and sections of the Hopkins
City Charter:
SECTION 1. Section 7.03 – Board of Equalization is deleted in its entirety.
SECTION 2. Section 7.04 – Preparation of the Annual Budget is amended by deleting
stricken material as follows:
Section 7.04. Preparation of Annual Budget. The annual budget shall provide a
complete financial plan for the budget year by fund, showing all proposed
expenditures and estimates of all anticipated revenues applicable to proposed
expenditures and any other information the council may require, or the city
manager may deem desirable. In parallel columns shall be shown the budgeted
amount for the, if any, granted and expended under similar heads for the past two
complete fiscal years and, as far as possible, for the current year. The council may
include or exclude at its discretion any fund, except the general fund. The budget
shall be submitted to the council at a regular council meeting, in a manner
prescribed by state statute, not less than 30 days prior to final approval. no later
than the first regular monthly meeting in September. It shall be a public record open
to public inspection. by anyone and the city manager shall cause sufficient copies
thereof to be prepared for distribution to the mayor, members of the council and
interested persons.
SECTION 3. Section 7.10 – Disbursements is amended by deleting stricken material as
follows:
Section 7.10. Disbursements. Disbursement of city funds shall be made by a
negotiable instrument bearing the actual or authorized facsimile signature of the
authorized city officer. No disbursements shall be issued until the claim to which it
relates has been supported by an itemized bill, payroll, time-sheet, voucher or the
like approved and signed by the responsible city officer who vouches for its
correctness and reasonableness. No check shall be issued until there is money to
the credit of the fund out of which it is to be paid sufficient to pay the same. The
council may by ordinance make further regulations for the safekeeping and
disbursements of the funds of the city.
SECTION 4. Section 7.13 – Accounts and Reports is amended by deleting stricken
material as follows:
Section 7.13. ACCOUNTS AND REPORTS. The city manager shall be the chief
accounting officer of the city and shall submit to the council a statements each
month containing information relative to the finances of the city as the council may
require. Each year the city manager shall submit a report to the council, no later
than June 30, covering the entire financial operations of the city for the past year.
This report shall follow the style and form, as far as practicable, prescribed for
annual city financial reports and copies will be made available to interested parties.
SECTION 5. The effective date of this ordinance shall be effective 90 days after publication.
First Reading:
Second Reading:
Date of Publication:
October 1, 2024
October 8, 2024
October 17, 2024
Date Ordinance Takes Effect: January 15, 2025
By_____________________
Patrick Hanlon, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________
Amy Domeier, City Clerk