07-01-26 Charter Commission Special MeetingHOPKINS CHARTER COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
Wednesday, July 1, 2026
6:00 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. November 20, 2025, Charter Commission Regular Meeting Proceedings
3. NEW BUSINESS
1. Transmittal of Petition for Ranked Choice Voting for Hopkins City Elections
4. ADJOURNMENT
1
Minutes of the Hopkins Charter Commission
November 20, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
The Hopkins Charter Commission met on April 20, 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, Hanneman, Hugh,
Johnson, Maurer and White. Commissioners Shady and Shirley were absent. Also
present was City Clerk Domeier, Deputy City Clerk Baker and City Attorney Riggs.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Motion by Halverson. Second by Dunn.
Motion to Approve April 1, 2025, Charter Commission Regular Meeting
Proceedings.
Ayes: 9.
Nays: 0. Absent: 2. Motion carried.
OLD BUSINESS
3.1. 2025 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. His recommendation is to follow the state statute and the extension of terms
awaiting a response from the Secretary of State’s Office on the Mayor’s term. The
Charter Commission preferred to align with state statute and City Attorney Riggs
recommendations regarding terms.
Motion by Hanneman. Second by Mauer.
Motion to follow state statute and the City Attorney’s recommendation regarding
terms.
Ayes: 9.
Nays: 0. Absent: 2. Motion carried.
OLD BUSINESS
4.1. 2025 Charter Amendment: Chapter 5
City Attorney Riggs provided a summary of the proposed changes for the petition
language change and options in the Charter Amendment process. Brief discussion was
held about process, communications and timeline. The Charter Commission suggested
a full cleanup of Charter 5 and providing a new ordinance at the next meeting.
Motion by White. Second by Hanneman.
2
Motion to direct staff to bring a draft ordinance bringing Chapter 5 of the City
Charter into compliance with state statute, modernizing language and cleanup of
the chapter.
Ayes: 9.
Nays: 0. Absent: 2. Motion carried.
OTHER
Commissioner White suggested a full clean up of the emergency management
ordinances.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Gadd. Second by Hugh.
Motion to Adjourn the meeting at 5:58 p.m.
Ayes: 9.
Nays: 0. Absent: 2. Motion carried.
Respectfully Submitted,
Amy Domeier, City Clerk
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CITY OF HOPKINS Memorandum
To: Hopkins Charter Commission Members
From: Amy Domeier, City Clerk
Date: July 1, 2026
Subject: Transmittal of Petition for Ranked Choice Voting for Hopkins City Elections
On June 18, 2026, a petition proposing an amendment to the City Charter was submitted
to the Charter Commission. Minnesota law establishes the process for processing charter
petitions and, as described further in the memo provided by legal counsel, the Charter
Commission's role is to formally transmit the proposed amendment to the City Council.
This special meeting of the Charter Commission was called to ensure statutory timelines
for petition review and election administration can be met.
While the action of the Commission is directed by statute, the meeting procedure is the
same as any other Charter Commission action, with a motion , discussion, and vote.
Following transmission of the petition by the Charter Commission:
• The City Clerk will complete certification of the petition, including whether the
petition contains the required number of valid signatures. The City Attorney will
review the proposed charter amendment.
• If the petition is certified as sufficient, the City Council act on the proposed charter
amendment, including considering ballot language at its July 14 meeting.
• If the petition is determined to be insufficient, the petitioners have an opportunity to
supplement the petition with additional signatures as provided by law, and
additional Council action may be necessary depending on the timing and
circumstances.
Recommended Action:
Motion to approve Resolution 2026-01 Transmitting Citizen Petition and Proposing
Amendment to the Hopkins Charter.
Attachments:
• Memo from Kennedy & Graven Legal Counsel
• Resolution 2026-01
• Petition for Ranked Choice Voting for Hopkins City Elections
City Clerk
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Kennedy Fifth Street Towers
150 South Fifth Street, Suite 700
Minneapolis MN 55402-1299
(612) 337-9300 telephone
(612) 337-9310 fax
http://www.kennedy-graven.com
Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer
Graven
C H A R T E R E D
MEMORANDUM
DATE: July 1, 2026
TO: Chair Lenz and Charter Commission Members
FROM: Joseph L. Sathe, Legal Counsel
RE: Petition to Amend City Charter
This memorandum provides information on the responsibilities of the Hopkins Charter
Commission in handling a citizen petition that was submitted on June 18, 2026 (the “Petition”) to
amend the City Charter pursuant to the process in Minnesota Statutes, section 410.12.
The two sections of Minn. Stat. 410.12 addressing the Commission’s responsibilities are as
follows:
“The charter commission may propose amendments to such charter and shall do so
upon the petition of voters equal in number to five percent of the total votes cast at
the last previous state general election in the city.”1
“All petition papers for a proposed amendment shall be assembled and filed with
the charter commission as one instrument. Within ten days after such petition is
transmitted to the city council, the city clerk shall determine whether each paper of
the petition is property attested and whether the petition is signed by a sufficient
number of voters.” 2
Therefore, the Charter Commission’s responsibility is to propose the charter amendment detailed
in the Petition and transmit the Petition to the City Council. Statute does not provide that the
Charter Commission may make any amendment to the language included in the petition.
Number of Signatures Required
9568 votes were cast in Hopkins in the state general election in 2024. Five percent of 9568 is
478.4, meaning that 479 signatures are needed to submit a petition to amend the Charter. There
are more than 479 Petition lines with a signature. The City Clerk verifies whether signers are
eligible voters after the Petition is transmitted from the Charter Commission to the City Council.
1 Minnesota Statutes, section 410.12, subdivision 1.
2 Minnesota Statutes, section 410.12, subdivision 3.
Offices in
Minneapolis
Saint Paul
St. Cloud
&
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Resolution and Recommendation
The resolution that is attached as Exhibit A acknowledges that the Charter Commission has
counted the number of signatures on the Petition and is proposing that the Charter be amended
pursuant to the Petition. This action does not confirm the signatures are valid and is simply sending
the Petition to the City Clerk and the City Council in accordance with the statutory process.
The Commission could choose to forgo the resolution and transmit the Petition by motion only.
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CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
CHARTER COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2026-
RESOLUTION TRANSMITTING CITIZEN PETITION AND PROPOSING AMENDMENT
TO THE HOPKINS CHARTER
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”) received a proposed
amendment to the City’s charter initiated by a petition submitted by citizens pursuant to
Minnesota Statutes, section 410.12, subdivisions 1, 2, and, 3 (the “Petition”), a copy of
which is included as Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Minn. Stat. 410.12, subds. 1 and 3, the Commission must
propose amendments to the City’s charter “upon the petition of voters equal in number to
five percent of the total votes cast at the last previous state general election in the city”
and transmit such proposals to the Hopkins City Council; and
WHEREAS, there were 9568 votes cast during the November 2024 state general
election, meaning the number of voter signatures needed is 479 and the Petition appears
to include more than 479 lines with signatures.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Hopkins Charter Commission, as required
by Minnesota Statutes, section 410.12, subdivision 1, that the petition-initiated
amendment be transmitted to the City Council for examination by the City Clerk and
subsequent action pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 410.12, subdivisions 2 and 4.
Passed and adopted at a special meeting of the Hopkins Charter Commission on July 1,
2026.
By__________________________
Daniel Lenz, Chair
Hopkins Charter Commission
ATTEST:
________________________
Amy Domeier, City Clerk
Hopkins Charter Commission
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