06-10-2002 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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rAiui/%11 McpTiNQ JUN 1 0 2002 145 University Avenue West, St. Paul, MN Phone: (651) 281-1200 (800) 925-1122 Fax: (651) 281-1299 TDD (651) 281-1290 Web Site: http://www.lmnc.org May 31,2002 To: Managers, Administrators, and Clerks From: Jim Miller, Executive Director and Tom Grundhoefer, General Counsel Re: Revision to League of Minnesota Cities Constitution At its May 16,2002 meeting, the League of Minnesota Cities Board of Directors unanimously agreed to recommend to the membership, a comprehensive revision to the League Constitution. (A complete copy of the Constitution, showing the proposed additions and deletions is included with this memorandum.) The Board’s action was the culmination of a six-month study process that began at the staff level, proceeded through a Board appointed subcommittee and concluded with Board discussion and action at both the April and May meetings. The proposed changes to the Constitution will be presented to the members for action at the June 20,2002 general business meeting at the Annual Conference in Rochester. This memorandum will explain the reasons for the revision and offer the rationale for each of the proposed changes. References to particular Articles and sections are to the revised document included with this mailing. If there are any questions or concerns about the proposed changes, please do not hesitate to contact League staff or any member of the Board of Directors. Why was a comprehensive revision necessary? There are several motivations for the proposed changes. First, it has been many years since a comprehensive review has been performed. Accordingly, there are a number of housekeeping changes recommended to make the document easier to use. Second, there is a goal to modernize the document and to reflect more accurately the Board practices that have developed over the past number of years. Finally, there is a desire to modify some of the existing processes and procedures in order to encourage greater member involvement in key League decisions. What process did the Board use to evaluate prospective changes? The process for evaluating possible changes began at the staff level in December, 2001 . Senior League staff met over the course of about six weeks to evaluate the current Constitution and develop ideas for possible changes. The Board then received a report on the process at its January 17,2002 meeting. The Board established a Board Subcommittee to AN EQUAL OrrORTUNITY/AFnRMATIVE ACTION EMFLOYER I___