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Item No.:Date: January 8, 2024 <br />Presenter: Adam Edwards <br />Presenter: City Administrator / Engineer <br />Section:Work Session Item(s) <br /> <br /> <br />Title: 2024 Annual Appointments Discussion <br /> <br />1.Purpose: <br />The purpose of this action item is to discuss the city's annual appointments for 2024. <br />2.Background: <br />a. Why discuss annual appointments now . In 2023 annual appointments seemed to become <br />a contentious item for the council. In an attempt to improve over last year we have <br />dedicated the first work session in January for council to discuss the item in depth if so <br />desired. In preparation for 2024 staff created a new format for the annual appointment's. <br /> The new format contains a column to indicate the authorization or reference for the <br />appointment. In addition staff separated out the City Council Ad Hoc Committees and <br />Special Committees since these seem to be where the contention lies. These section also <br />include a purpose section to outline what these committees are supposed to do. <br />b. Background information on city appointments. The text in the following bullets is from <br />the LMC Handbook for Minnesota Cities, Chapter 6,. The chapter is included as Attachment <br />A. <br />Appointing members of the boards. Minn. Stat. § 412.111. The council may create <br />departments and advisory boards and appoint officers, employees, and agents for the <br />city as deemed necessary for the proper management and operation of the city. <br />Conducting the city’s intergovernmental affairs. § 471.59 and 465.58. The council <br />may make agreements for the joint exercise of powers through agreements with other <br />units of government, appoint people to serve on intergovernmental bodies, conduct <br />city business with state and federal agencies, and participate in intergovernmental <br />programs and the work of municipal associations, such as the League of Minnesota <br />Cities. <br />Council committees. Although the statutes do not require the use of committees, <br />some councils find they are helpful in reducing workload. By dividing their <br />membership into several committees, a council enables its members to devote most of <br />their time to specific areas of the city’s operations. Each council member becomes a <br />relative specialist in these areas and that council member’s services become of greater <br />value to the council as a whole. Council action is necessary to establish committees <br />either in the council’s bylaws, by special resolution, or through a motion. The council <br />may set up special and standing committees. The council appoints special committees <br />to deal with a single transaction or project. Standing committees concentrate on work <br />that is continuous or repeated from time to time during the year. This system <br />encourages council members to handle administrative details and, consequently, does <br />not make full and proper use of the city’s administrative officers. Thus, councils <br />should try to limit their work to special policy problems or to certain staff or public- <br />relations functions that are not the responsibility of administrative personnel. <br />3.Staff Recommendation: <br />AGENDA ITEM <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />2