02-12-2002 Charter Commission Regular Meeting - 1 -
Minutes of the Hopkins Charter Commission
February 12, 2002
The Hopkins Charter Commission met on February 12. Present were Commission members: Sid
Blair, Dorothy Boen, John Frane, Marjorie Hance, John Hutchison, Chuck Kritzler, Henry
Pokorny and Harry Smith. Assistant City Manager Jim Genellie was also present.
The meeting was brought to order at 6:30 p.m.
Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting.
Commissioner Blair moved and Commissioner Smith seconded a motion to approve the minutes
of February 5, 2002. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes.
Reports.
There were no official reports.
Communications
There were no communications.
Old Business
Establishment of the Police Review Committee
Commissioner Smith moved and Commissioner Frane seconded the motion to approve
Resolution 2002-01 recommending that the City Council adopt Ordinance 2002-867 amending
the Charter to add a Police Review Committee.
Commissioner Blair requested that the City Council be informed that several commissioners
preferred simply abolishing the Civil Service Commission.
Commissioner Hance had a question concerning the hiring procedures in the Police Department.
Were there any requirements for the procedures used to hire employees other than those outlined
in the Civil Service Commission rules? Mr. Genellie provided a copy of a section of the
Minnesota Rules that mandated procedures for the hiring of police officers.
After some further discussion, the question was called. A poll of the vote was as follows:
Commissioner Blair, Nay; Commissioner Boen, Aye; Commissioner Frane, Aye; Commissioner
Hance, Aye; Commissioner Hutchison, Nay; Commissioner Kritzler, Aye; Commissioner
Pokorny, Aye; and Commissioner Smith, Aye. The motion passed.
Removing the Requirement that an Ordinance becomes effective twenty days after
publication.
Commissioner Smith moved and Commissioner Boen seconded the motion to approve
Resolution 2002-02 recommending that the City Council adopt Ordinance 2002-869 amending
the Charter to eliminate the twenty-day waiting period after an ordinance is published for it to
become effective.
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Commissioner Hutchison argued that there should be a period of time between the date an
ordinance is published and when it takes effect. Mr. Genellie responded that there were often
times when the delay was unnecessary. He used the example of the Pawnshop ordinance. This
ordinance only affects one business and that business was consulted during the process of
creating the ordinance. A waiting period for the purpose of the licensee to become aware of the
ordinance is not necessary. He also explained that the City Council would retain the ability to set
any effective date they wished on any ordinance. For example, if the City Council adopts an
ordinance limiting the number of vehicles that a household can have parked outside, the Council
may want to have a waiting period greater than twenty days before the ordinance becomes
effective.
After some further discussion, the question was called. A poll of the vote was as follows:
Commissioner Blair, Nay; Commissioner Boen, Aye; Commissioner Frane, Aye; Commissioner
Hance, Aye; Commissioner Hutchison, Nay; Commissioner Kritzler, Aye; Commissioner
Pokorny, Aye; and Commissioner Smith, Aye. The motion passed.
The Commission set its next meeting for April 29, 2003 at 6:30 p.m.
New Business
There was no new business.
Adjournment.
Prior to adjournment it was announced that Commissioners Pokorny and Smith were completing
their second terms on the Commission. They were thanked for their participation.
Commissioner Smith moved and Commissioner Hutchison seconded the motion to adjourn. The
meeting adjourned by unanimous consent.