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03-28-2006 Charter Commission Regular Meeting 1 Minutes of the Hopkins Charter Commission March 28, 2006 The Hopkins Charter Commission met on March 28. Present were Commission members Dorothy Boen, David Day, Roger Gross, Fran Hesch, Karen Jensen, Jerre Miller, Robert Miller, and Emily Wallace-Jackson. The meeting was brought to order at 6:35 p.m. by the Chair of the Commission, Fran Hesch. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting Commissioner Boen moved and Commissioner Jensen seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the November 15, 2005 meeting. The motion was approved unanimously. Election of Chair and Vice-Chair. Officers were elected in April of 2005. Subsequent to that election, the Commission amended its by-laws to make the term of office two years. This election will be for two years. Commissioner Boen moved and Commissioner Bob Miller seconded a motion that Roger Gross be elected Chair. There were no other nominations. The Commission voted unanimously to elect Roger Gross as Chair. Commissioner Bob Miller moved and Commissioner Boen seconded a motion that Emily Wallace-Jackson be elected Vice-Chair. There were no other nominations. The Commission voted unanimously to elect Emily Wallace-Jackson as Vice-Chair. Communications There were no communications. Old Business Ranked Ballot Voting Commissioner Hesch explained why this issue was back before the Charter Commission. The City Council discussed the issue at January and March Council meetings and at a February Worksession. On March 6, the City Council rejected Ordinance 2005-958 but not the concept of ranked ballot voting. The City Council encouraged the Charter Commission to consider adopting new language regarding implementing ranked ballot voting in the City of Hopkins. Commissioner Jensen asked whether the Council indicated interest in changing the way Council members are elected. Mr. Genellie said that they had not. The Council had gone 2 on record as supporting the traditional method of electing Council Members, i.e. multiple candidates running for multiple offices. Mr. Genellie presented information regarding the problem with the original ordinance where it was possible for a candidate to receive a majority of the first choice votes but not be elected. He also went over a possible method of using ranked ballot voting that would apply for multiple candidates running for multiple offices. Commissioner Hesch then demonstrated another way to look at ranked ballot voting. Commissioner Hesch maintained that the existing system of electing council members by plurality did not allow people to understand what percent candidates received. She said that there was difficulty in explaining how these percentages were arrived at. The Commission discussed whether to continue to pursue ranked ballot voting in the City of Hopkins. Commissioner Karen Jensen moved to consider further changes to the Charter as regards to electing City council members by ranked ballot voting. Commission Boen seconded. After a brief discussion the motion passed 7-0. Commissioner Bob Miller abstained. Commissioner Bob Miller moved to have the Charter Commission explore ranked voting, create the wording for ranked voting and to present it to the Council in the best language possible. Commissioner Jerre Miller seconded. The Commission discussed this motion and determined that approval of this motion should be followed by a Commission worksession devoted to ranked ballot voting. The Commission approved the motion unanimously. Commissioner Gross moved and Commissioner Boen seconded a motion to set the next meeting for Tuesday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. The Commission approved the motion unanimously. Sale of City Property The Commission agreed to not consider any changes to the section of the Charter dealing with the sale of City property. Adjournment Commissioner Boen moved and Commissioner Jerre Miller seconded the motion to adjourn. The meeting adjourned by unanimous consent.