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HomeMy Public PortalAboutCharter Review Committee Minutes 03-22-2012 Charter Review Commission Minutes March 22, 2012 Community Board Room Members Present: Chairman Bill Agan Secretary/Vice Chair Jeff Ritter Member Loyce Greer Member Doug Knowlton Member LaRue Wall Audience Present: Janece Hill Jeremy Hill Beverly Williams Michaela Williams Chairman Agan called the meeting to order at 7:03PM 1. Read and Approve minutes from last meeting (March 15, 2012) Member Wall motioned to approve the minutes from the March 15, 2012 meeting. (-*'A Member Greer seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. 2. Review City Charter. Member Greer pointed out that the City Attorney will be able to catch any problems or errors in the proposed Charter. Chairman Agan stated that the Commission should try to have the City Attorney at the next meeting or as soon as possible so that the Commission can begin the finalization of the Charter. Section 9.07—Zoning Board of Adjustment Member Greer recommended adding verbiage that the Mayor will appoint the Chairperson of the Board, and the Vice Chairman and Secretary be elected from the members of the board. Secretary Ritter motioned to add"The Chairman shall be appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council", and to remove the words "three year terms". Member Wall seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 10.01 —Powers of the City Member Greer motioned to approve the section as written. Member Wall seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 10.02—Power and Ordinance to Grant Franchise Secretary Ritter motioned to approve the section as written. Member Greer seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 10.03- Transfer of Franchise Secretary Ritter motioned to approve the section as written. Member Knowlton seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 10.04—Franchise Value Not To Be Allowed Member Wall motioned to approve the section as written. Member Greer seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 10.05—Rights of Regulation Member Wall motioned to approve the section as written. Secretary Ritter seconded. 011) The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 10.06—Regulation of Rates and Services Secretary Ritter motioned to approve the section as written. Member Wall seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 10.07-Licenses Member Wall motioned to approve the section as written. Member Knowlton seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 10.08—Mineral, Gas and Oil Rights and Revenues Secretary Ritter stated he could not support placing all gas revenues into a Permanent Fund to be used only in the case of major disasters. Ritter pointed out that there are often reasons to spend revenues on major projects and emergencies within the City and that the City Council should not have its ability to spend that money removed. Member Knowlton stated he agreed that the funds should not be placed away permanently, but that the City Council should not be able to spend the funds frivolously. Member Greer pointed out that many Councils do not place importance on keeping funds available for emergencies and therefore encounter financial difficulties when eiN emergencies do arise. She recommended that there be some fund set aside only for emergencies. Secretary Ritter agreed that there should be an emergency fund, but that the Council should be able to draw from that fund if the need arises. Member Wall recommended that there be a special meeting and election called for the purpose of expending the fund so that the public knows the circumstances of the expenditure. Member Knowlton motioned to accept the section with the verbiage, "The revenue from the lease, sale or barter of any minerals, gas and oil rights or production, to include revenue from agreements to lease surface rights for the purposes of resource recover, shall be deposited in a separately held fun that may be invested in U.S. Government Securities and as provided by State Law. The principal deposited shall be withdrawn only after an affirmative vote of the people at a special election called for such purpose." Secretary Ritter seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote The Consensus of the Commission was to begin reviewing Chapter 13. Section 13.01 —Rules of Construction Member Greer motioned to approve the section as written. Secretary Ritter seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 13.02—Procedure for Amendment to the Charter Member Greer motioned to approve the section as written. Member Knowlton seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 13.03—Amendment of the Charter Member Wall motioned to approve the section as written. Member Greer seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 13.04—Charter Review Commission Secretary Ritter recommended changing the word "finds"to "findings" for clarity. Member Knowlton recommended changing the word"may"to "shall"regarding the providing of information to the Commission. Member Greer pointed out that"finds" is as appropriate as "findings". Member Ritter agreed. The Commission agreed to keep the word"finds". Member Knowlton motioned to approve the section as amended. Member Wall seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. ^ r Section 13.05—Administrative Amendment Secretary Ritter questioned the meaning of having two public hearings for the City Council to amend the Charter. He stated that the provision could make the Charter too easily modifiable without another Charter Review. Members Knowlton and Greer agreed. Member Wall motioned to table the section until after consultation with the City Attorney. Member Knowlton seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. Section 13.06—Separability of Portions of the Charter Member Greer motioned to approve the section as written. Member Wall seconded. The motion was approved by unanimous vote. 3. Assignment for Next Meeting The next meeting is scheduled for March 29, 2012. Continue reviewing Charter beginning with Article 11. Chairman Agan pointed out that the City Attorney may be in attendance to help with the legal requirements of Article 11 and the Charter in general. 4. Public Comments Janece Hill—Thanked the Commission for the hard work of meeting every week to complete the reviewing process. Beverly Williams—Great job on a very detailed and exhaustive process of reviewing the Charter. 5. Adjournment Secretary Ritter motioned to adjourn. Member Wall seconded. Chairman Agan adjourned the meeting at 8:38 PM. Jeff Ritter-Secretar Bill Agan-Chairml ��