VII.4. First Reading Ordinances Implementing Charter Amendments; Domeier CITY OF HOPKINS
City Council Report 2025-174
To: Honorable Chair and Board Members
Mike Mornson, City Manager
From: Amy Domeier, City Clerk
Date: December 1, 2025
Subject: First Reading: Ordinances Implementing Charter Amendments Regarding
Elections
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
MOTION TO Adopt for First Reading Ordinance 2025-1231 A Transitory Ordinance
Providing for the Orderly Transition of Elections After 2025 Election Results Amending
City Charter Regarding Election Year and Mayoral Term.
AND
MOTION TO Adopt for First Reading Ordinance 2025-1232 An Ordinance Amending
Chapter 2, Article II, Section 2-19 of the Hopkins City Code Moving the Review of
Council Salaries to Even-Years to Align with Regular City Elections.
OVERVIEW
On November 4, 2025, the City of Hopkins held a special election. The following City
Charter amendments were on the ballot:
•Question 1: Should the Hopkins City Charter be amended to transition from odd-
year city general elections to even-year city general elections? A “yes” vote is a
vote to move to even-year elections. A “no” vote is a vote to keep odd-year
elections.
•Question 2: Should the Hopkins City Charter be amended to transition the
mayor’s term from a two-year term to a four-year term? A “yes” vote is a vote to
move to a four-year term. A “no” vote is a vote to keep a two-year term.
On November 6, 2025, the City Council declared the elections results:
•Question 1: Yes votes were 2,102 and no votes were 912
•Question 2: Yes votes were 2032 and no votes were 1,100
On November 7, 2025, per Minnesota Statutes Section 410.12, subd. 4 and 410.11 the
City Clerk filed the election results with the Secretary of State’s Office. The
amendments become effective in 30 days after filing.
The next step in the process is for the City Council to consider two proposed
ordinances. The first ordinance is a transitory uncodified (meaning that it will not be
made part of the code but has the full force of law) ordinance providing for an orderly
Administration
transition of elections based on the charter amendments. The second ordinance
amends the city code to align the year in which council salaries are reviewed to the
new even-year election year.
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
• Draft Ordinance 2025-1231
• Draft Ordinance 2025-1232
• Memorandum from Kennedy & Graven
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CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE NO. 2025-1231
A TRANSITORY ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ORDERLY TRANSITION OF
ELECTIONS AFTER 2025 ELECTION RESULTS AMENDING CITY CHARTER
REGARDING ELECTION YEAR AND MAYORAL TERM
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOPKINS HEREBY ORDAINS:
Section 1. Purpose. On November 4, 2025, Hopkins voters approved two charter
amendments: 1) transitioning the city from odd-year elections to even-year
elections; and 2) transitioning the term of the mayor from a two-year term to
a four-year term.
Section 2. Mayoral Term. The voter-approved charter amendments are effective
December 4, 2025, and therefore the term of the mayor beginning in
January 2026 is for four years, but, as established in Section 3, will begin in
January 2026 and conclude in January 2031 after the November 2030
election.
Section 3. Terms Extended. Minnesota Statutes, section 205.07, subdivision 1 provides
that when the election year is changed, and a city does not adopt an
ordinance providing for the transition of terms the term of a council member
or mayor is extended by one year. This ordinance is intended to reflect that
default option. The terms of mayor and council members whose terms would
otherwise expire on the first Monday in January 2028 are thereby extended
until the first Monday in January 2029. The terms of the council members
whose terms would otherwise expire on the first Monday in January 2030
are thereby extended until the first Monday in January 2031.
Council 1 Election in November 2028 – Term ends January 2029
Council 2 Election in November 2028 – Term ends January 2029
Council 3 Election in November 2030 – Term ends January 2031
Council 4 Election in November 2030 – Term ends January 2031
Mayor Election in November 2030 – Term ends January 2031
Section 5. Election in Even-Numbered Years. Pursuant to the City Charter, the City
municipal general election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first
Monday in November of each even-numbered year beginning in 2026. No
member of the council or mayor regular term will be on the ballot in 2026.
Section 6. The city clerk is authorized to take all actions necessary to provide for an
orderly transition from the existing election schedule to the schedule set forth
in this section.
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Section 7. All previous actions of the City Council establishing the City municipal
general election for odd-numbered years are repealed.
Section 8. The effective date of this ordinance shall be the date of publication.
First Reading: December 1, 2025
Second Reading: December 16, 2025
Date of Publication: December 25, 2025
Date Ordinance Takes Effect: December 25, 2025
By:
____________________________
Patrick Hanlon, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________________
Amy Domeier, City Clerk
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CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE NO. 2025-1232
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE II, SECTION 2-19 OF THE
HOPKINS CITY CODE MOVING THE REVIEW OF COUNCIL SALARIES TO EVEN-
YEARS TO ALIGN WITH REGULAR CITY ELECTIONS
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOPKINS HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Amending Chapter 2, Article II, SECTION 2-19 (d) of the Hopkins City Code
by adding the following underlined text and deleting struck material, as follows:
(d) Salary review. On September 1 of oddeven-numbered years beginning in 2024,
the salaries in subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be reviewed for
possible adjustment with an effective date of the following January 1. The
proposed salaries must be the cumulative adjustment of non-union employees
for the prior two years in increase percentage. Any such proposed salary
adjustment for the mayor and council members must be approved by ordinance
of the city council.
SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. The effective date of this ordinance shall be the date of
publication.
First Reading: December 1, 2025
Second Reading: December 16, 2025
Date of Publication: December 25, 2025
Date Ordinance Takes Effect: December 25, 2025
By: ____________________________
Patrick Hanlon, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________________
Amy Domeier, City Clerk
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Joseph L. Sathe
Fifth Street Towers
150 South Fifth Street, Suite 700
Minneapolis, MN 55402
(612) 337-9255 direct
email: jsathe@kennedy-graven.com
MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Scott J. Riggs, City Attorney
Joseph L. Sathe, Assistant City Attorney
CC: Mike Mornson, City Manager
Amy Domeier, City Clerk
DATE: November 25, 2025
RE: Implementing Charter Amendment Regarding Elections
Background
On November 4, 2025, voters in Hopkins approved two charter amendments regarding elections –
transitioning the city to even year elections and transitioning the term of the mayor from two to
four years. The amendments, both of which are attached, are effective December 4, 2025, and will
be added to the charter administratively.
This memo addresses two proposed ordinances. The first ordinance amends the city code to align
the year in which council salaries are reviewed to the new even-year election year. The second
ordinance is a transitory uncodified (meaning that it will not be made part of the code, but has the
full force of law) ordinance providing for an orderly transition of elections based on the charter
amendments.
Ordinance Amending City Code – Council Salaries
The intent of this ordinance is to amend the code where necessary to align with the new election
year. Election related regulations are included in the City Charter and therefore the only city code
section staff identified that was intended to align with the election year is City Code, Section 2-19
regarding council salary review. By law, increases to council salaries are not effective until after a
municipal election has occurred and the proposed change aligns the year the Council reviews
salaries to the new election year.
2
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Ordinance Providing for Orderly Transition of Elections
Minnesota Statutes, section 205.07, subd. 1 outlines the process that occurs when a city changes
the date of its regular election. Regarding aligning terms with new election dates, the statute
provides for a default option or allows the council to set and amend terms.
- If the Council does not adopt a transition ordinance, the current terms are extended for one
year.
- If the Council does adopt a transition ordinance, it can choose to adopt an ordinance
reflecting the default outcome, or can choose to shorten or lengthen terms of office and
decide which seats will be up for election at the initial even-year election.
The Hopkins Charter Commission recommended that terms should be extended for one year.
If the Council shortens or lengthens terms resulting in three councilmember elections at a regular
election, then the two individuals receiving the highest vote will serve four-year terms and the
individual receiving the third highest vote will serve a term of two years. If the council wishes to
shorten terms and have an election in 2026, I recommend considering and adopting such an
ordinance at a regular council meeting held before January 30, 2026.
Mayoral Term
When the mayoral term begins in January 2026, the charter will reflect that the term of the mayor
is four year ’s long. The enclosed transitory ordinance therefore recognizes that the mayoral term
beginning in January 2026 is a four-year term, but, as explained above and outlined below, will
expire in January 2030 along with the terms of the two councilmembers who will also begin their
terms in January 2026.
Timing and Terms
Statute provides that when the city changes the election date and does not provide for expiration
of terms by ordinance, then the terms of incumbents are extended by one year, unless the council
adopts an ordinance modifying the terms differently. The transitory ordinance is drafted to
explicitly adopt this default option. Adopting the ordinance is recommended as doing so will
provide staff with a council-approved action to reference should members of the public or other
governmental entities have questions. The ordinance also explicitly authorizes the City Clerk to
take any other actions necessary to provide for the orderly transition from the existing election
schedule to the schedule set forth below:
Council 1 Election in November 2028 – Term ends January 2029
Council 2 Election in November 2028 – Term ends January 2029
Council 3 Election in November 2030 – Term ends January 2031
Council 4 Election in November 2030 – Term ends January 2031
Mayor Election in November 2030 – Term ends January 2031