FAIRMONT– On Tuesday evening several members of the Fairmont Charter Commission questioned the actions individual members took in placing an ad with information on the charter amendment ballot questions in the Fairmont Photo Press.

Charter Commission Chair Mike Katzenmeyer said that the Charter Commission had previously designated himself and member Dale Martens to go around to different civic clubs to share information about the proposed charter amendments.

“We started and did that and then we were kind of stone-walled by a committee that’s out there presenting an oppositional view point on whether the amendments should be passed or not, Katzenmeyer said.

He said they had dates booked with the Lions Club and a pending date with the Rotary Club and then were told they weren’t wanted to speak because they (the groups) didn’t want to get involved politically.

“Our position is, we were not presenting political posture on this, we were presenting the facts,” Katzenmeyer said.

Following that, Katzenmeyer said he, Martens and member Chuck Omvig got together and put together an ad with information on the charter amendments that will appear on the ballot.

“It is, in our opinion, informational in nature. That ad was sent to the Photo Press. We also had Ad Manufacturing do the professional layout and submission to the Photo Press, which will be in (today),” Katzenmeyer said.

He shared that the cost of the ad was $1,075 and the professional make-up of the ad was $90 for a total of $1,165.

“Under the current budget for the Charter Commission, we had $700 remaining,” Katzenmeyer said.

The Charter Commission budget has been a recent topic among both that commission and the Fairmont City Council. At the Sept. 13 Fairmont City Council meeting, the council considered a request for an additional $2,500 for the Charter Commission to support its ongoing work.

On Tuesday Katzenmeyer said that the remaining $700 went toward the ad and that he made out a personal check for the remaining amount so that the ad could be printed.

“Based on that, we need to take a request back to the city council, one that we made earlier, to increase the fund for Charter Commission expenditures,” Katzenmeyer said.

Commission Member Jim Zarling asked whether expenditures like that should be made and approved by the entire group.

“Isn’t this group supposed to have a say in that?” Zarling said.

Katzenmeyer said time was of the essence.

“So you’re saying the commission doesn’t have to approve it?… You three have the ability to commit the commission to expenditures of that size?” Zarling asked.

Commission Member Terry Anderson made a brusque motion to “accept Katzenmeyer’s proposal of what he’s done and that the bills be paid.” Martens seconded it.

Commissioner Member Jay Maynard asked the members present to look up a section in the League of Minnesota Cities handbook that read: “Charter Commission should keep in mind that the use of public funds to promote a particular election outcome may be questionable.”

“That is exactly the purpose of that ad,” Maynard said.

In turn, Katzenmeyer read another section that said: “Whenever possible, the charter should centralize responsibility for administration in one person….”

Zarling said that what Katzenmeyer referenced had nothing to do with the Charter Commission, but was referring to the City Administrator.

“What this is talking about, is this is what the Charter Commission should address as you’re establishing the charter. It’s got nothing to do with management or authorization of the Charter Commission, which is the issue we’re talking about,” Zarling said.

“We can agree to disagree about this. There was nothing under the carpet here,” Katzenmeyer said.

Zarling said that if three members can make decisions alone, the rest of the group wouldn’t be needed at any more meetings.

Martens said, “we had been turned down by various people to speak for various reasons and to explain the charter amendments and what the charter was working on, we did this (the ad).”

Maynard asked whether the ad made for the Photo Press was any more impartial than the letter to the editor that previously ran in the Sentinel.

“I believe it is,” Katzenmeyer said.

Zarling asked why Katzenemyer didn’t bring copies of the ad for the rest of the group to view, at which point City Administrator Cathy Reynolds stood up and distributed several copies of the ad.

Reynolds then shared that Katzenmeyer had sent her the ad for approval and that she had denied it originally. She also said she talked to the Photo Press and was told the ad could run next week.

“I denied it originally because it was $1,100 and you had a $700 budget. I told Mike I was denying it because the Charter Commission didn’t have those funds available. He came in and told me that he had an alternate source for the remaining funds and asked that we approve the $700,” Reynolds said.

She said she spoke with Sandy at the Photo Press and was told the ad could run next week in a concept that would have brought it down in cost closer to $700.

Katzenmeyer said that at first there was an obstruction to getting the ad printed because it was deemed political, which the Photo Press does not support. Katzenmeyer then said he got the opinion of an attorney who said the ad wasn’t political but informational.

“Which would take away the requirement that the Photo Press had that a political ad needs to be paid up front. Then we got involved in this discussion and (we asked) if they would hold the page for us,” Katzenmyer said.

He said he was told if they would hold the ad one week and run it on page 6, it would be $200 more. Omvig added that for the next two weeks the front page ad was already claimed.

“This is an informational ad,” Katzenmeyer said.

Maynard challenged that statement and said the explanations in the ad are not the unanimous opinion of every member on the commission.

“What they are is an explanation of the commission’s viewpoint of why these amendments should be adopted. That is inherently political,” Maynard said.

Several commission members disagreed with Maynard’s statement. Katzenmeyer reminded Maynard that all of the ballot questions were previously passed and approved by the Charter Commission in either a 8-4 or 9-3 vote.

Katzenmeyer said that he viewed the ad as the only opportunity the citizens of Fairmont have to see factual representation of the ballot items.

“There’s a committee out there that’s sending out information that’s not truthful,” Katzenmeyer said.

“They are absolutely telling the truth,” Maynard said.

Martens said that the proposed amendments are the “majority opinion” of the Charter Commission.

“And when the Charter Commission voted, Jay, and you voted in the minority opinion, you chose to go to the City Council and speak against all eight ballot items,” Katzenmeyer said.

“And then you subjected this commission to a 30 minute tongue lashing. Highly inappropriate behavior,” Maynard said.

“Not the committee, you,” Katzenmeyer said.

In a roll call vote, Anderson’s motion to approve the expenditure passed 9-3. The commission also voted to request additional funding for the 2022 budget. It also passed 9-3.

In other business, as included on the agenda, the Charter Commission began to review chapters 4 and 5 with the intention of updating the charter with statutory language.