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RELEVANT LINKS: <br />League of Minnesota Cities Handbook for Minnesota Cities 6/8/2022 <br />Elected Officials and Council Structure and Role Chapter 6 | Page 21 <br />Minn. Stat. § 412.221, subd. <br />27. Dances. The council has the power, by ordinance, to license and regulate <br />the operation of public-dance halls and the conduct of public dances. <br />Minn. Stat. § 412.221, subd. <br />30. Restaurants. The council has the power to license and regulate restaurants <br />and public-eating places. <br />Minn. Stat. § 412.221, subd. <br />31. Sewer and water connections. The council has the power, by ordinance, <br />to require the owner of any property that is abutting or adjacent to any <br />street in which sewer and water mains have been laid to install a toilet in <br />such buildings and connect it with the sewer and water mains. <br />Minn. Stat. § 412.221, subd. <br />32. General welfare. The council has the power to provide for the <br />government and good order of the city, the prevention of crime, the <br />protection of public and private property, and the promotion of health, <br />order, and convenience through the enactment of ordinances. <br />Minn. Stat. § 415.01. Township powers. The council has all the powers given to towns in <br />chapters 365 and 368 of the Minnesota Statutes. <br /> C. Council committees <br /> Although the statutes do not require the use of committees, some councils <br />find they are helpful in reducing workload. By dividing their membership <br />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 <br />becomes a relative specialist in these areas and that council member’s <br />services become of greater value to the council as a whole. <br /> Council action is necessary to establish committees either in the council’s <br />bylaws, by special resolution, or through a motion. The council may set up <br />special and standing committees. The council appoints special committees <br />to deal with a single transaction or project. For example, the council might <br />appoint a special committee to study the advisability of purchasing land <br />for a new park. Standing committees concentrate on work that is <br />continuous or repeated from time to time during the year. Many cities, for <br />example, have a standing committee on finance. <br /> Sometimes councils set up their committees on a functional basis. Such <br />committees deal with fire, police, health, public works, welfare, or public <br />utilities. This system encourages council members to handle <br />administrative details and, consequently, does not make full and proper <br />use of the city’s administrative officers. Thus, councils should try to limit <br />their work to special policy problems or to certain staff or public-relations <br />functions that are not the responsibility of administrative personnel. <br />Examples include committees on auditing, personnel, budget, public <br />reporting, purchasing, and licensing. <br />24