League of Women Voters of Northfield

written by Suzie Nakazian

Meeting with the Mayor Lee Lansing, City Administrator Al Roder and City Attorney Maren Swanson:
Kathy Tezla, Eve Webster, and Margit Johnson met with the above-named representatives of the City of Northfield, to convey that the manner in which City business and meetings were being conducted is confusing to the public. In short, the group expressed the belief that residents of Northfield should be able to expect a consistency in the City’s use of terms, and that all City processes will be reliable and transparent to the public.

The group made specific suggestions on the overall “management” of City meetings and processes:

1. Confusing use of terms: a felt lack of consistency in the City’s use of key terms; specifically a confusing use of the term “ordinance”. The group asked the City to clarify its use of this term and to explain how ordinances function in various City processes. They suggested that the City issue a citizen’s brochure to spell out key terms, for instance the definition and function of “ordinances” and an outline of the various stages in ordinance development and use.
2. One-sided public outreach: evident unevenness in the City’s attempts to “outreach” to the public on key issues; specific reference to the written notice that the City sent to landlords (but not to tenants or other interested “stakeholders”) regarding a supposedly public meeting on the proposed rental ordinance.
3. General lack of consideration for the public: allowing the agendas for public meetings to be excessively long, for instance. It was suggested that a Consent Agenda be included at the beginning of the meeting (a suggestion subsequently taken up by Mayor Lansing in his management of the subsequent Council Meeting).
4. Departure from Rules of Order at City meetings: Maren Swanson is the City Parliamentarian, and oversees rules of order but not necessarily at every Council meeting. More attention to the rules is needed at every meeting.

The group felt their recommendations were received by the City’s representatives. They will follow-up with a letter to Mayor Lansing which will go into every Council packet so that all Council Members will be advised of the League’s recommendations.