Discuss Council Organization

Purpose:  The purpose of this report is to determine the committees, boards, or authorities to which Council Members will be appointed.  Also to be determined are the appointments for the official newspaper and the approval of the annual contract with TimeSavers Off-Site Secretarial Service (TOSS), and appointment of legal services.  

Background:  Each year, Council Members are appointed to serve on different committees, authorities and boards.  Council Members are asked their preference for appointment, and a resolution with the final selections will be adopted by Council via the Consent Agenda at the regular Council meeting.  The Chair and Vice-Chair positions for each committee will be appointed at that committee level.  With regard to EDA appointments, the Code states that the appointments shall be made by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council.  

Attached is the resolution that is on the Consent Agenda this evening for formal adoption.  Please note:  If there are any changes to the appointments based on discussion this evening, those changes will be incorporated in the resolution that is on tonight's agenda.  It will then be adopted as amended.   

The organizational resolution includes declaring the City's official newspaper.  This year again, the City has received two proposals:  Anoka County UnionHerald and Anoka County Record.  Both proposals are attached to the case.  In 2016, the City spent approximately $12,129 toward advertising and publishing expenses - which did include the extra publications for a special Primary and General and a regular Primary and General Election.  The Anoka County UnionHerald has historically served as the City's official newspapers and currently provides the most regular coverage of City.  The proposal from ABC Newspapers states the rates for 2017  will remain unchanged.  The Anoka County Record has a less established circulation and reporting operation, but does offer a potential for significant  savings over the traditional Anoka County UnionHerald newspaper.  Their proposal states they will publish all public notices at no cost to the City.  Anoka County, as well as a couple of communities in Anoka County have used the Anoka County Record as their "official newspaper" without a successful challenge as to whether they meet the "official newspaper" qualifications. 

Also included for Council review and approval is the Addendum to the Recording Secretary Service Agreement that extends the expiration date to December 31, 2017.  The addendum shows a 2.5 percent increase in the rates.  Approval of the contract with TOSS is part of the resolution.

Appointing legal services is another part of the Organization Resolution.  The proposed contract renewal with Joseph Langel of the firm of Ratwik, Rozak & Maloney for General Legal is a three-year contract (to January 1, 2019) and with Bill Goodrich of Randall, Goodrich and Haag for prosecution is a three-year contract (to June 30, 201).  The three year contact for Goodrich, which expired June 30, 2016, was extended another year to June 30, 2017, and can be extended indefinitely under a 30-day termination provision).  (The City's policy is to review outside professional contracts on a three to five year basis).  The last review of legal services was in 2013. This has no bearing at this point related to the appointments in the resolution. 


 

Approximately 15 minutes

N/A

City Administrator
City Clerk

To receive clear direction from the Council with regard to the appointments to committees, boards, and authorities, designation of the official newspaper, and the addendum to the Recording Secretary Service Agreement.