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Charter Commission talks budget

FAIRMONT– The Fairmont Charter Commission spent little time on reviewing agenda items chapters 5 and 6 and most of Tuesday evening’s meeting discussing its budget.

Beginning with chapter 5 of the city’s charter– initiative, referendum and recall– the commission acknowledged that the chapter was created in 1993.

Commission Member Jay Maynard asked if anything would have changed over the last 29 years that would alter any of the chapter.

Commissioner Member Jim Zarling asked City Administrator, Cathy Reynolds, if there have been any statutory changes over that time period that would impact the chapter.

Reynolds said there are changes needed in the charter anywhere that references elections to be in accordance with state statute.

Commission Member Chuck Omvig asked if they could send chapters 4 (nominations and elections) and 5 to the city attorney to get his thoughts on it since there are sections that need to be in accordance with state statute. The Charter Commission approved re-visiting chapter 4 for that purpose.

Omvig made a motion to refer chapters 4 and 5 to the city attorney to review the language and bring it into compliance with state statute.

Commission Member Bob Gunther asked if they should spend their budget having the city attorney do this. Katzenmeyer said that’s what their budget is for.

Commission Member Dale Martens asked what the Charter Commission’s budget is. Reynolds explained that the Charter Commission’s budget is .07 percent of the certified general tax levy or $1,500, whichever is greater. For 2022, she said the budget is $2,469.

Martens said he thinks they should be given a monthly statement throughout the year so that they’re aware of how much money they’re spending. It was asked how much money the city attorney charges. Reynolds said they charge $160 an hour.

Commission Member Jon Davis suggested the Charter Commission members each take a section, go through it, compare it to state statute and come back with it next month.

“Since we have a history of ignoring the city attorney anyway,” Maynard said.

Reynolds said that City Clerk Patty Monsen has a lot of the information on what needs to be changed in the those chapters of the charter and that it would be faster for them to utilize that information.

Katzenmeyer made a motion to table chapters 4 and 5 until the September meeting.

Turning back to the issue of the budget, Martens made a motion that the commission be informed of the budgetary expenses assigned to the commission prior to submission to the council. Omvig seconded it.

Martens further said he thinks the Charter Commission should have the opportunity to review their expenditures before it’s submitted to the city council.

Maynard said he’s not comfortable claiming that they didn’t spend money when it’s on record that they did.

“What if they’re sending a bill to the council saying the charter spent $800 on paper supplies and legal supplies and we really didn’t?” asked Commission Member Robynn Buhmann.

“Do you honestly believe they’d do that?” asked Maynard.

“This is partially because we were blindsided… we found out that our budget is used up,” said Omvig.

The Charter Commission approved the motion.

The Charter Commission then talked about whether it could get more money in its budget. Reynolds said per statue statute, there’s an amount the council is obligated to provide the Charter Commission in regards to administrative costs.

“Expenditures to date amount to your legal fees, your binders, your copies and those types of things,” Reynolds said.

She said the Charter Commission has the authority to go to the city council and request additional funds to support its activities.

“You have approximately $300 and some remaining but that doesn’t include any of the legal bills from July and I know Mr. Chair (Katzenmeyer) has had a couple of different phone conversations at least with the city attorney,” Reynolds said.

Gunther made a motion to request an increase of $2,500 from the city council. The motion passed.

The Charter Commission concluded its meeting by swiftly agreeing that chapter 6 looked good as is and required no change.

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