06-22-1992 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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‘I. 0^ h«Mfle tteJt utas. it may hc^) case ihe overtnirdemng of ctoes that feel compelled to offer aimlar services. The Task Force believes the .ounues should conunue ihcu delivery m the areas of hum» services »d cntmtul jttsocc. Counties should be reancted in their delivery of transit and proper services. The Task Force believes iha the delivery of tranai and propenv related services should be f»^ar ni«v e4 sriih an eye toward eliminating duplicated services that area delivered by a city, county or a regional e«^. CmB: The role of cities ts k> jaovide those $«vices necessary *o promote the health, safety and welfare of then lesideats. These responnbUities would include such areas as property rebted vervicc land-use ilk safety, economic development, recreation and local tiansporuuon^ r Townsidfs: The Task Force has not spent ngnificani tune reviesning the role of townships, but will do «o in the oomtaf months. V. Council Membership and Operation: Serving its Public How andwrity the Metropolitan Council has depends largely on its accountabUity to us consHtnencies. The perception is that the current Metropolitan Council seemingly is accountable to When by Task Force members about its audience, several Council members said the Legisianne mmI tfiea the general puMk; legislators saul the general public, then the Legislature. Thc^e coROmhctions ui accouniabiliiy helped contribute to the lack of enthusiasm it receives from ti 8). Diacuassons by the various paneb of Council members, past and present Council chairs, legislators, coiaity commission representatives and ‘good governroeni’ Council watchers, indicated that a change should be made in the method of setecting Cuunal members. Panel participants cued, among other Ihingi. account, bility. crodibility and freedom from legislative restraints, real or imagined. Also. Council elections would force metropolitan voters to think about the region as a whole. R>cQmm#ndation: Direct Election of Council Members To give the Council the authority it needs to pursue a regionai agenda, the Task Force recommends that each member of the Metro^itan Council be elected by district from 16 tiairicts ttf equal or near equal population. The terms would be four-year and staggered, and CbiBictl members could tun for no more than two consecutive, four-year terms. By having staggered limited terms, the Council would have new ideas and input, while safeguarding against the amount of influoce any one person (or groups of persons) could wield. pwtimn would be wm-paitisan. Filings would be conducted at the Secretary of State's office, rtmpai giw would bc pubUcly financed. Candidates would not have Ihe option of raising their own funds The positioia would be purt-ome. with commensurate pay. with no provision for per diem. The Task Force does not envision Cbuncil membership as a luU-time occupation. However. Council members should be expected to commit enough time to serve their constituents well. The receiving the majority (50 percent piw s one) of the numbci ^' otes cast would be the winner. If there is no majority winner, the top two vote-getters would f.? .'•ther in a runoff election. A candidaie's name may be placed in nomination one of three ways: JLW---------