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04-01-25 Charter Commission Regular MeetingHOPKINS CHARTER COMMISSION AGENDA Tuesday, April 1, 2025 5:30 p.m. RASPBERRY ROOM AT HOPKINS CITY HALL 1010 1ST ST. S., HOPKINS, MN 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING 1. February 18, 2025, Charter Commission Regular Meeting Proceedings 3. OLD BUSINESS 1. 2025 Charter Amendments: Chapters 2 and 4 4. ADJOURNMENT 1 Minutes of the Hopkins Charter Commission February 18, 2025 CALL TO ORDER The Hopkins Charter Commission met on February 18, 2025, in the Raspberry Room at City Hall, 1010 1st St. S., Hopkins. Chair Lenz called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Present were Commission Members Dunn, Gadd, Halverson, Hugh, Johnson, Maurer and Shirley. The Commission Members absent were Hanneman, Schady and White. Also present was City Clerk Domeier and City Attorney Riggs. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING Motion by Gadd. Second by Hugh. Motion to Approve November 20, 2024, Charter Commission Regular Meeting Proceedings. Ayes: 8. Nays: 0. Absent: Hanneman, Schady, White. Motion carried. OLD BUSINESS 3.1. Next Steps for the 2024 Charter Amendments: Chapters 2 and 4 Chair Lenz provided a recap of the process and a summary of the City Council meeting. City Attorney Riggs provided the next steps and options in the Charter Amendment process following the City Council action in January. Discussion was held regarding the Municipal Election amendment. The commission all favored moving forward with the ballot initiative for the cost savings and election efficiencies Motion by Dunn. Second by Maurer. Motion to direct staff to prepare a resolution to bring the municipal election amendment to the voters at the next general election. Ayes: 8. Nays: 0. Absent: Hanneman, Schady, White. Motion carried. Next the commission reviewed the options for the mayor’s term amendment. The commission all favored moving forward with the ballot initiative since the commission and City Council have voted twice with a majority in favor. Motion by Lenz. Second by Johnson. Motion to direct staff to prepare a resolution to bring the mayor’s term amendment to the voters at the next general election. 2 Ayes: 8. Nays: 0. Absent: Hanneman, Schady, White. Motion carried. City Clerk Domeier and City Attorney Riggs will work together to bring the resolutions back to the Charter Commission. It was anticipated that the next meeting would be in either March or early April. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Gadd. Second by Shirley. Motion to Adjourn the meeting at 6:00 p.m. Ayes: 8. Nays: 0. Absent: Hanneman, Schady, White. Motion carried. Respectfully Submitted, Amy Domeier, City Clerk DOCSOPEN\HP145\8\1018836.v2-3/26/25 CITY OF HOPKINS Memorandum To: Hopkins Charter Commission Members From: Amy Domeier, City Clerk Date: April 1, 2025 Subject: 2025 Charter Amendments: Chapters 2 and 4 The Charter Commission previously recommended that Chapters 2 and 4 of the Hopkins City Charter, related to municipal election timing and the length of the mayor’s term, should be amended by ordinance but those amendments did not receive the unanimous Council approval required to move forward. On February 18, 2025, the Charter Commission directed staff to bring back the approvals necessary for the Charter Commission to initiate the process to submit the proposed amendment to voters at the same time as the city general election on November 4, 2025. If 51 percent of the votes cast on any amendment are in favor of adoption, the amendment will become effective 30 days after the date of the election. The proposed resolutions include both the language necessary to initiate the amendment- by-election process but also includes suggested ballot question language. It is important to note that the City Council has the ultimate authority to set the ballot question language, so the ultimate ballot language may not be the same as what the Commission suggests. We anticipate City Council will review the ballot language in May 2025. Recommended Action: Motion to Adopt Resolution 2025-01 Proposing an Amendment to Chapter 2 of the Hopkins City Charter Pertaining to Elected Officials and Proposing Submitting the Amendment to Voters. Motion to Adopt Resolution 2025-02 Proposing an Amendment to Chapter 4 of the Hopkins City Charter Pertaining to the Year of Municipal Elections and Proposing Submitting the Amendment to Voters. Attachments: • Charter Commission Resolution 2025-01 • Charter Commission Resolution 2025-02 City Clerk DOCSOPEN\HP145\8\1016483.v3-3/26/25 CITY OF HOPKINS HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA CHARTER COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2025-01 RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 2 OF THE HOPKINS CITY CHARTER PERTAINING TO ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PROPOSING SUBMITTING THE AMENDMENT TO VOTERS WHEREAS, the City of Hopkins (the “City”) is governed by a home rule charter pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 410; and WHEREAS, the Hopkins Charter Commission (the “Commission”) has the authority under Minn. Stat. 410.12, subd. 1 to propose amendments to the City Charter; and WHEREAS, the Commission proposes amending Section 2.03 – Elected Officials, of the City Charter as presented in Exhibit A, to transition the Mayor’s term from a two-year term to a four-year term; and WHEREAS, the Commission requests that the City Council submit the amendment to the voters of the City, pursuant to Minn. Stat. 410.12, subd. 4., on November 4, 2025; and WHEREAS, the Commission requests that the City Council consider the ballot language proposed in this resolution for the ballot question. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Hopkins Charter Commission proposes amending Section 2.03 of the Hopkins City Charter to move the Mayor’s term from a two- year term to a four-year term, as presented in Exhibit A, pursuant to Minn. Stat. 410.12, subd. 1. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hopkins Charter Commission requests the City Council submit the amendment to voters on November 4, 2025, pursuant to Minn. Stat. 410.12, subd. 4, and requests the City Council consider approving the following language for the text of the ballot question: “Should the Hopkins City Charter be amended to transition the Mayor’s term from a two-year term to a four-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.” Passed and adopted at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Hopkins Charter Commission on April 1, 2025. By__________________________ Daniel Lenz, Chair Hopkins Charter Commission DOCSOPEN\HP145\8\1016483.v3-3/26/25 ATTEST: ________________________ Amy Domeier, City Clerk Hopkins Charter Commission DOCSOPEN\HP145\8\1016483.v3-3/26/25 Exhibit A Section 2.03. Elected officials. 1. The elected officials shall be a mayor and four council members who shall all be qualified voters. They shall all be elected at-large. 2. The mayor and the four council members will shall serve for a term of two years, and the four council members shall serve for terms of four years each. The terms of all elected officials shall commence on January 1 and all shall serve until their successors are elected and qualify. 3. After the city general election, the city council shall, at their next regularly scheduled meeting, meet as the canvassing board and declare the results of the election. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for a particular office is elected. If the election results in a tie, then the winner should be determined by lot in the presence of the council acting as the canvassing board. DOCSOPEN\HP145\8\1018885.v2-3/26/25 CITY OF HOPKINS HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA CHARTER COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2025-02 RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 4 OF THE HOPKINS CITY CHARTER PERTAINING TO THE YEAR OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND PROPOSING SUBMITTING THE AMENDMENT TO VOTERS WHEREAS, the City of Hopkins (the “City”) is governed by a home rule charter pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 410; and WHEREAS, the Hopkins Charter Commission (the “Commission”) has the authority under Minn. Stat. 410.12, subd. 1 to propose amendments to the City Charter; and WHEREAS, the Commission proposes amending Section 4.01 – Municipal Elections, of the City Charter as presented in Exhibit A, to transition the City’s general elections from odd-year elections to even-year elections; and WHEREAS, the Commission requests that the City Council submit the amendment to the voters of the City, pursuant to Minn. Stat. 410.12, subd. 4., on November 4, 2025; and WHEREAS, the Commission requests that the City Council consider the ballot language proposed in this resolution for the ballot question. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Hopkins Charter Commission proposes amending Section 4.01 of the Hopkins City Charter to move the City’s general elections from odd-year to even-year elections, as presented in Exhibit A, pursuant to Minn. Stat. 410.12, subd. 1. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hopkins Charter Commission requests the City Council submit the amendment to voters on November 4, 2025, pursuant to Minn. Stat. 410.12, subd. 4, and requests the City Council consider approving the following language for the text of the ballot question: “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.” Passed and adopted at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Hopkins Charter Commission on April 1, 2025. By__________________________ Daniel Lenz, Chair Hopkins Charter Commission DOCSOPEN\HP145\8\1018885.v2-3/26/25 ATTEST: ________________________ Amy Domeier, City Clerk Hopkins Charter Commission DOCSOPEN\HP145\8\1018885.v2-3/26/25 Exhibit A Section 4.01. Municipal Elections. 1. The regular election for the choice of the elected officials of the city shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in odd numbered years beginning in 1995. The city manager shall give notice of all elections in the manner prescribed by state law for cities of the same classification as this city, but failure to give such notice shall not invalidate such election. The regular city election is held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even numbered years. The election is held at the place or places designated by resolution of the city council. Notice of the election is given in the manner provided by law. Failure to give notice of the election does not invalidate the election. 2. The council may, by resolution, order a special election on any question which it desires to submit to a vote of the voters, fix the time for holding the same, and provide all means for holding such special election. The procedure at such election shall conform as nearly as possible to that herein provided for other municipal elections.