NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The City Council of the City of Chatfield, Minnesota, will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, in conjunction with its regularly scheduled city council meeting, which begins at 7:00 p.m., at the Thurber Municipal Building, located at 21 Second Street SE, Chatfield, MN 55923, on a recommendation made by the Charter Commission of the City of Chatfield, that certain amendments to the Charter of the City of Chatfield be adopted by the Council by enactment of an ordinance. The text of the ordinance that would adopt the proposed Charter amendments is set forth below.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CHATFIELD, MINNESOTA, RELATING TO THE CITY CHARTER OF THE CITY OF CHATFIELD, MINNESOTA; ADOPTING CERTAIN AMENDMENTS THERETO AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CHATFIELD CHARTER COMMISSION; AMENDING CHAPTER 3, BY ADDING A SECTION 10 THERETO; AMENDING CHAPTER 4, BY ADDING SECTIONS NUMBERED 16.5 AND 19.5 THERETO; AMENDING THE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 4, SECTIONS 4, 18 AND 19; DELETING THE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 4, SECTIONS 17 AND 22; AMENDING THE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 7, SECTION 34.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Chatfield, Minnesota:
Section 1. The provisions of the Chatfield City Charter, Chapter 3, are amended by adding a Section 10 to read:
Section 10. Interference with Administration. Except for the purpose of inquiry and investigation, the council and its members shall deal with the city administrative officers and employees under the jurisdiction of the administrator solely through the administrator, and neither the council or any council member shall give an order to any subordinate of the administrator publically or privately.
Section 2. The provisions of the Chatfield City Charter, Chapter 4, Section 14, are amended to read:
Section 14. The Mayor. The Mayor shall be recognized as the official head of the city for all ceremonial purposes, and by the governor for military purposes.
Section 3. The provisions of Chapter 4 of the Chatfield City Charter are amended by adding a Section 16.5 to read as follows:
Section 16.5. City Administrator. The city administrator shall be the chief administrative officer of the city. The administrator shall be chosen by the council solely on the basis of training, experience, and administrative qualifications; and, will serve in an advisory and consulting capacity as a special assistant to the mayor and city council. The administrator shall be appointed for an indefinite term and may be removed by an affirmative majority vote of the council at any time. Subject to the provisions of this Charter, and any other regulations consistent therewith which may be adopted by the council, the administrator shall oversee and coordinate the administrative functions and operations of the various departments and divisions of the city, and services provided by city government, with the exception of the library department and provision of library services. The duties and responsibilities of the administrator include:
A. seeing that the provisions of the charter, and the laws, ordinances, and resolutions adopted by the council are enforced;
B. attending all meetings of the council, with the right to take part in any discussions but lacking the right to vote on any pending matters;
C. recommending to the council for adoption such measures as may be deemed necessary to protect the welfare of the citizens of the city and promote the efficient administration of the affairs of the city;
D. keeping the council fully advised as to financial conditions and needs of the city, and to prepare and submit to the council for its consideration an annual budget and capital improvements program;
E. except for the director of the library department and library aides, overseeing all matters of employment and enforcement of personnel policies, including the appointment and removal of the clerk, all department heads and subordinate officers and employees in city departments;
F. performing such other duties as may be prescribed by the charter, ordinances or resolutions enacted by the council.
Section 4. The provisions of Chapter 4, Section 17, of the Charter (“City Clerk”) are repealed.
Section 5. The provisions of Chapter 4, Section 18, of the Charter are amended to read:
Section 18. City Attorney. The mayor shall, with the advice and consent of the council, appoint a city attorney as soon as may be convenient after the mayor takes office, for a term of two years commencing on the first day of February of each odd-numbered year. The attorney shall perform all duties imposed by law on a city attorney, may act as prosecuting attorney if required by law in the district court of the State of Minnesota, and perform such other duties consistent with the office of attorney as the council may require. The council shall have the right and power to employ special legal counsel for matters which in the judgment of the members of the council may require a particular expertise to protect the interests of the city.
Section 6. The provisions of Chapter 4, Section 19, of the Charter are amended to read:
Section 19. Police Department. Dissolution of the police department shall require a majority vote of the qualified voters of the city.
Section 7. The provisions of Chapter 4 of the Charter are amended by adding a Section 19.5 to read as follows:
Section 19.5. Subordinate Officers. There shall be a clerk, finance officer, zoning administrator, economic development coordinator, preservation officer, cable television administrator, police chief, and other such officers subordinate to the administrator as the council may authorize. All such subordinates, except the library director, shall be subject to the direction of the administrator. The council may by ordinance abolish the position of a subordinate office created by ordinance, and combine the duties and responsibilities of a subordinate created hereby.
Section 8. The provisions of Chapter 4, Section 22, of the Charter (“Economic development coordinator”) are repealed.
Section 9. The provisions of Chapter 7, Section 34, of the Charter are amended to read:
Section 34. Tax Levy. It shall be the duty of the administrator to prepare and submit to the council at its first regular meeting in August of each year, a detailed estimate of the taxes required to be levied for all city purposes for the ensuing fiscal year together with a suggested form of resolution making such levy. The council shall determine the amount of taxes to be levied and adopt such tax levy resolution and the clerk shall transmit the tax levy to the county auditor in compliance with state law. No tax shall be invalid by reason of any informality in the manner of levying the same nor because the amount levied shall exceed the amount required to be raised for the special purpose for which it was levied. It shall be the duty of the heads of the various departments of the city to file with the administrator an estimate of the receipts and disbursements of such department for the ensuing fiscal year, on or before the first day of July in each year, to assist the council in determining the amount of taxes to be levied. After the adoption of the preliminary budget and levy for the ensuing fiscal year, it shall be the duty of the clerk to publish the estimated departmental budget once in the official newspaper of the city, not later than first day of October following the filing of such estimate with the clerk.
Section 10. This ordinance shall be effective ninety days following its publication.
Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Chatfield, Minnesota, this ___ day of June, 2020.
By _________________
Attest: Its City Clerk
_________________
Its Mayor
Any person wishing to comment on these proposed changes to the Charter of the City of Chatfield contained in this proposed ordinance may do so by: appearing in person at the public hearing; or, by filing comments in writing that are received prior the time and date set for the hearing addressed “City Clerk, 21 SE Second Street, Chatfield, MN 55923” or sent by electronic mail addressed to “Jyoung@ci.chatfield.mn.us”.
By,
Joel Young, City Clerk
City of Chatfield, Minnesota
Publish 11