Why attend ? Know before you go . . .
We try to highlight topics of “unusual” interest, point out documents posted, what questions folks should bring to meetings or events, etc.
City Council, Tues., Dec 5, 5:30 pm – Truth in Taxation 6 pm
Hopefully you’ll be able to attend these meetings in City Hall, or watch from home. (Midco 11 and 98.) Counc Link: Council packet. Check the City website again late Tues. for additions. There will also be a separate Truth in Taxation meeting. Link: Truth in Taxation packet. Council will probably convene its meeting, pause for Truth in Taxation, and then continue with the regular Council meeting.
Most important: Posting of openings for Commissioners whose terms expire the end of January
This is Item #13, New Business C: Advertise for Open Committee Seats that the term limits will be expiring or coming due in January 31, 2024. 1) Did you know there were term limits? Do people continually stay on the Commission(s) until some maximum limit? Where is that posted on the official Commission websites, ordinances, or City Charter? 2) Why didn’t City Hall provide a list of those upcoming open (?) positions, sorted by Commission, Committee or Board? Why does Council – or the public – have to search page-by-page, print or write out and then figure who reached their term limit, etc.? 3) Will Council request, indeed demand, an open and fair process to fill those open (??) positions? What are the qualifications, the real ones and not the political ones? Do we really need “experts” and lobbyists or people who think systemically and in the interest of Us the People?4) Will Council address City Hall’s proactive (politely phrased) seeking of a replacement of Commissioner Caruso on Planning and Zoning? Review Part C of the citizens’ recording of P&Z meeting on Nov. 15th. Part C = https://youtu.be/bZLWQTG4xA4 Includes discussions after P&Z meeting was adjourned
P&Z Nov. 15 minutes – Is all this – more length and details – essential? If you have time, compare pages 16-19 in the packet with YouTube recordings listed below. Especially look at 5:23+ time marker on Part A when Council Member Angela Campbell reports. What did she say the citizen requested from Council on Nov 7th? Codes of ethics, standards of conduct, conflict of interest and (finally) open meeting policies. The P&Z meetings only mention open meeting laws. Why didn’t ethics, standards and conflicts make it to the minutes? Why filter or cleanse from the record? This is why meetings need to be recorded and made public. Some individuals within City Hall, Council and Commissions want discussions about ethics, standards of behavior to go away.
Well Being Development is presenting on Tuesday – see pages 3-15 in the Council packet for their power point presentation in the Council packet.
Minutes – Telecommunications Advisory Board (RAB) vs Park & Rec See TAB minutes for Nov 30th (page 22 in the packet). It would be nice if Park & Recreation minutes could be typed up, reviewed and approved by the Park & Rec Commissioners so expeditiously (one day turnaround). As it is now, it takes about 2 months for Park & Rec’s official minutes to get posted publicly in the Council Packet. Is this a scheduling or processing issue? What can be changed?
MN Dept of Health Water Testing Results Item #10 Communications (pages 35-37 in the Council packet).
Item 9, Dept Reports, City Attorney. There’s no documentation, of course, for a closed meeting per MN Statute 13D for Strategy for Ely Supervisors of Other than Essential Employees