06-11-2001 CHCMHutchinson Charter Commission Meeting Minutes
June 11, 2001
Members Present: Chuck Carlson, Steve Auger, Linda Remucal, Mike Cannon, Virgil
Voigt, Phil Graves, Ron McGraw, and Roger Peterson
Members Absent: Walt Clay, Carl Bretzke, Don Glas, and Jean Peterson
Others Present: Mayor Marlin Torgerson, City Administrator Gary Plotz, City Attorney
Marc Sebora, and Brenda Ewing, Recorder
Chair Chuck Carlson called the meeting to order at 4:15 p.m. in the City Center Staff
Conference Room.
The Commission discussed the scheduling of the next meeting. The Commission will
meet at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, June 25, 2001, in the Staff Conference Room at City
Center.
A motion was made by Mike Cannon, second by Steve Auger, to approve the minutes of
the May 21, 2001, meeting as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
Attorney Richard Schieffer was unable to attend the meeting. The draft of the Charter
containing the proposed changes recommended at the May 21 meeting of the
Commission was, therefore, not available for review.
The Commission resumed the review of the Charter language with Chapter 4,
Nominations and Elections.
CHAPTER 4
4.01 — This section was changed or amended with the vote at the general election in 2000.
4.03 — Absentee ballots are required to be available at least 30 days prior to an election.
The current wording is inconsistent with this requirement. The Commission
recommended to change the wording to "no earlier than 60 and no later than 45 days
prior to the election of such other time periods mandated by law."
The filing fee of $5.00 is minimal. The commission discussed what is an appropriate fee
and what should actually be charged. The commission discussed what the fee is applied
to — administrative costs, ballots, etc. It was recommended that the filing fee be raised to
$20.00.
The consensus of the commission was also to add the following language - "Absentee
ballots will be a>ailable 30 days prior to the election."
CHAPTER 5 — no changes recommended to any sections in Chapter 5
CHAPTER 6
Section 6.01 — There was some discussion as to the length of the term of the appointment
of the City Administrator. The administrator is appointed on an annual basis by the City
Council. It was discussed that the wording may be changed to read that the administrator
will be appointed for one year rather than an "indefinite term" as the current language
reads. The commission directed legal counsel to review this language and suggest
appropriate amendment language for this section.
Section 6.02
Subd. 2. It was the recommendation of the commission to add the authority to transfer
employees to the duties of the City Administrator. Change the language to read, "The
City Administrator shall appoint, and may suspend, transfer, and remove, upon the basis
of merit... ".
Subd. 3 — Change the reference to Burns Manor to "Hutchinson Area Health Care ".
Section 6.04 — There was discussion as to who is a subordinate officer to the City
Administrator. All may not be directors and this may be a reason why the term, director,
is not used. There was additional discussion as to the use of the term "officer ". It was
recommended to strike the term officer and refer to these individuals as "subordinates ".
Section 6.05 — The Commission discussed the City Administrator's responsibilities is
regards to City purchases. This section may need to be reviewed regarding the
practicality of the administrator approving "all city purchases ".
The meeting was suspended at approximately 4:45 p.m. due to severe weather. The
Commission will meet again at 4:00 p.m. on June 25 as previously noted.