04-23-1992 Charter Commission Regular MeetingMinutes of the Hopkins Charter Commission
April 23, 1992.
The Hopkins Charter Commission met on April 23. Present were Warren Woodrich, Ethel
Wonson, William Arimond, Dorothy Boen, Archie Black, and Paul Ahles. City Clerk Jim
Genellie and City Attorney Jerre Miller were also present. The Commission elected Warren
Woodrich as Chairman and Paul Ahles as Vice-Chairman.
The Commission considered a number of amendments to the current charter.
1. Removal of all gender based language in the Charter. For example, replacement of
Councilmen by Councilmembers.
2. Replacement of the term officer with elected official throughout the Charter. In addition
the term elector is replaced by the term voter throughout the Charter.
3. Removing language is Section 2.03, Subd. 2 that refers to the 1961 election.
4. Clarifying Section 2.03, Subd. 2 in regard to the City Council's role in certifying
elections.
5. Amending Section 2.05 to bring it into conformance with state law.
6. Amending Section 2.06 to clarify how the president pro tempore is selected and who
serves as acting Mayor when the Mayor and president pro tempore are absent.
7. Amending Section 2.08 in regard to the investigation of city affairs.
8. Amending Section 3.01 to change the manner in which special Council meetings are
called. The new language refers to state law.
9. Removing Section 3.02 which refers to the City Clerk as the Secretary of the Council.
10. Amending Section 3.04, Subd. 1 by changing replacing reference to the Secretary of the
Council to City Clerk.
11. Amending Section 3.04, Subd. 4 to remove the requirement that resolutions be read in
full before the City Council.
12. Amending Section 4.03, Subd. 1 to change references to the City Manager to City Clerk.
13. Amending Section 4.04, Subd. 1 to change references to the City Manager to City Clerk
and remove the language regarding how candidates for office are to appear on a ballot.
State law determines this.
14. Amending Section 4.04, Subd.2 by removing the use of an ordinance to call a primary
election.
15. Amending Section 6.02, Subd. 2 by removing language referring to the City Manager as
Superintendent of Police.
16. Amending Section 6.02, Subd. 3 by removing any reference to specific employees and
adding language regarding hiring according to state and federal laws.
April 23, 1992 Charter Commission Minutes
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17. Deleting Section 6.02, Subd. 4. Health duties such as these are handled by Hennepin
County.
18. Amending Section 6.03 to clarify the City Manager's authority to reorganize City
administration and departments.
19. Amending Section 6.04 by simplfying language regarding the duties of the City Clerk.
20. A new Section 6.05 was added authorizing the City Council to appoint a City Attorney.
This authority was moved from Section 6.04.
21. Amending Section 6.05 to allow the City Manager to approve and sign contracts and
agreements of up to $5,000.00 in value.
22. Amending Section 6.06 to bring it into compliance with State law.
23. Amending Sections 7.04, 7.05, and 7.08 in regard to budgets. Language referring to
specific dates was removed due to the impact of the State's Truth in Taxation law.
24. Clarifying Section 7.11, Subd. 3 by allowing the Council to approve investments through
the adoption of a general policy on investments.
25. Amending Section 7.13 to allow more flexibility as to when the annual financial report
needs to be submitted to the City Council. The new language also removes the
requirement for publishing the Financial Report in the official newspaper.
26. Amending Section 9.03 by removing language referring to a specific interest rate.
27. Amending Section 12.04 by removing language referring to the first City Manager.
The Commission directed the City Clerk to make the proposed changes to the City Charter and
prepare an ordinance for the Commission to approve and submit to the City Council.