10-26-1993 Charter Commission Regular MeetingMinutes of the Hopkins Charter Commission
October 26, 1993
The Hopkins Charter Commission met on October 26. Present were Warren Woodrich, William
Arimond, Archie Black, Dorothy Boen, Richard Brubacher, Randy Engel, Jannette Holen, Sally
Morem, and Ethel Wonson. City Clerk Jim Genellie was also present.
The Commission approved the minutes of September 28.
City Clerk Jim Genellie reported on the City Attorney's review of the proposed Charter
amendments. The City Attorney had only one comment concerning the sentence: "Meetings of
the City Council shall be open pursuant to the Minnesota Open Meeting law and its exceptions."
He felt that the words "and its exceptions" were redundant because the exceptions to the
requirement that public meetings be open are contained within the Open Meeting law.
Commission member Morem moved and Commission member Wonson seconded the motion to
delete the words "and its exceptions" from the proposed ordinance #93-732. The motion passed
unanimously.
Commission member Brubacher moved and Commission member Boen seconded the motion to
approve Charter Commission Resolution #93-1 recommending that the City Council pass
Ordinance #93-732. The motion passed unanimously.
At this point in the meeting Chairman Woodrich passed the gavel to Commission member Black.
Mr. Woodrich then discussed the need to elect new officers at the start of each calendar year. He
believed that this would benefit the Commission. After some discussion the Commission
decided that the current by-laws already required this action.
The Commission instructed the City Clerk to prepare a sample agenda for the first meeting of
each year which would include the action of electing a new chair and vice-chair.
The Commission then proceeded to discuss the procedure for amending its own by-laws. The
current procedure of requiring a seven day notice of any change before it could be acted upon
was felt to be too cumbersome. Commission member Woodrich moved and Commission
member Boen seconded the motion to amend Article VIII, Section 1 of the by -laws by striking
the words "provided that a seven day prior notice of the proposed amendment has been furnished
to each member." The motion passed unanimously.
Commission member Black passed the gavel back to Chairman Woodrich.
Commission member Engel then suggested that the Commission should ask the City Council if
Commission and Board members be required or allowed to attend training sessions for such
topics as sexual harassment and cultural diversity.
After some discussion the Commission voted to forward to the City Council a suggestion that
opportunities be made available to members of boards and commissions to attend City training
sessions.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.