B Mayor's Term of Office
CITY OF
CHANHASSEN
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The City of Chanhassen · .Ä qrcw'r'0
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MEMORANDUM
TO:
Mayor & City Council
FROM:
---r~ I ~
Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
DATE:
October 29, 2004
SUBJ:
Consider Changing the Term of the Mayor
The City Council requested staff to review changing the term of the Mayor from
2 years to 4 years. Attached you will find the procedures necessary to make this
change. In summary, the following procedures are required:
1. The term is established by the City Council by ordinance.
2. The ordinance must be adopted at least 4 weeks prior to the closing date
for filing for candidacy (July 2006).
DISCUSSION POINTS
· Should the Mayor's term coincide with the terms of other Council
members (4 years)?
·
Currently, we have a majority of the City Council up for election every
two years.
·
A two-year term allows for more frequent citizen input on current
issues facing the city.
·
A four-year term allows more stability on the Council.
·
A four-year term allows the mayoral term to be less political, less
frequently.
·
Under a two-year term, issues are subject to being politicized out of
proportion.
· Mayoral campaign is too frequent.
'I¡vitn cledl'
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Mayor & City Council
October 29, 2004
Page 2
. Instability on the Council based on turnover-the learning curve takes
a substantial amount of time.
. Could discourage candidates if they have to run every two years.
Message
Page 1 of 1
Gerhardt, Todd
-'._'~'."---~"~--
From: Roger Knutson [rknutson@ck-Iaw.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 29,20048:36 AM
To: Gerhardt, Todd
Subject: four year mayoral term.
Todd,
Changing the term of the mayor from a two to a four year term is done by ordinance. The ordinance must be
adopted at least four weeks before the closing date for the filing of affidavits of candidacy for the election. The
ordinance could therefore be adopted anytime during the next two years as long as it is done at least four weeks
before filings are closed for the next election. The procedure is set forth in M.S. 412.022:
Subdivision 1. Procedure. The council may, by
ordinance, establish a four-year term or reestablish a two-year
term for the office of mayor commencing with the ensuing term,
except that in a standard plan city which establishes a
four-year term for mayor, the first mayor to serve a four-year
term shall be elected at the first election when the clerk is
not to be elected. In any case the ordinance shall not affect
the term of the mayor elected in the year in which it is adopted
unless it is adopted at least four weeks before the closing date
for the filing of affidavits of candidacy for such election.
If you need anything else let me know.
10/29/2004