By-Laws

Amended April 2005

Article I

Section 1. The name of this Commission shall be the Charter Commission for the City of Hopkins.

Definition Of Terms

Section 1. For the purposes of these By-Laws, the terms defined in this section shall have the meanings given them.
Section 2. "Commission" means the organization named in Article I created by the District Court, Fourth Judicial District, State of Minnesota, County of Hennepin pursuant to a request by the City Council of the City of Hopkins, Minnesota.
Section 3. "City Council" means the elected officials constituting the Mayor and Councilmembers for the City of Hopkins, Minnesota.
Section 4. "Member" means a duly appointed individual to the organization named in Article I.
Section 5. "Charter" means the basic organizational document for the City of Hopkins, County of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, as approved by the electors on December 2, 1947, with amendments.

Commission Members

Section 1. The Commission shall have eleven members appointed by the Chief Judge of the district court pursuant to state law.
Section 2. Each member shall be a citizen of the State of Minnesota and a resident of the City of Hopkins.
Section 3. The terms of office of each member shall be four years. Each member serves, however, until a successor is appointed and qualified.
Section 4. If any member dies, resigns, or ceases to be a resident of the City of Hopkins, the member's office shall be deemed vacant, and a successor shall be appointed for his or her unexpired term.
Section 5. Resignation from the Commission by any member must be submitted in writing to the Mayor.

Officers And Employees

Section 1. The officers of the Commission shall be the Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary. The Secretary need not be a member of the Commission.
Section 2. The term of office for all officers shall be two years on a calendar year basis.
Section 3. The Chair shall be the presiding officer of the Commission. He or she shall preside at all meetings of the Commission, but shall have all of the same privileges of discussion, making motions and voting as do other members.
Section 4. The Vice Chair shall, in the absence or disability of the Chair, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chair.
Section 5. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Commission, and shall act as Clerk of such meetings and shall record all votes and the minutes of all proceedings. The Secretary shall give notice of all meetings of the Commission and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Commission.
Section 6. There will be no monetary compensation to any members of the Commission.
Section 7. Employees of the City of Hopkins may be requested to aid the Commission. Such requests shall be made by the Chair to the City Manager of Hopkins and such requests may be written or oral.

Meetings

Section 1. Meetings of the Commission shall be held in a public building located in the City of Hopkins.
Section 2. Written notice of all meetings and copies of the minutes of each meeting shall be sent to all members. Written notice of meetings shall be mailed at least ten days prior to each meeting.
Section 3. At any meeting of the Commission, a majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4. If the Secretary is absent from the meeting, the Chair shall appoint a Secretary pro tem for such meeting.
Section 5. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order Revised, except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws.
Section 6. The members may from time to time determine the order of business for Commission meetings. The usual order of business at such meetings shall be as follows:
- Call to Order
- Roll Call
- Minutes of Previous Meeting
- Reports
- Consideration of Communications
- Unfinished Business
- New Business
- Adjournment

Powers And Duties Of Commission

Section 1. The Commission is created to promulgate changes to the Charter of the City of Hopkins, Minnesota, as revised, for the improvement in the management and operation of the City government.
Section 2. The Commission shall act upon written requests for changes to said Charter as proposed by other persons who are either residents of the City of Hopkins or employees of the City of Hopkins.
Section 3. The Commission shall be responsible for submitting recommended changes to said Charter for action by the City Council.
Section 4. The Commission shall take no formal action upon any proposed changes to said Charter at the meeting at which said proposed changes were first submitted.

Financial Matters

Section 1. The Commission has no direct monetary funds.
Section 2. The Commission shall submit by budget its monetary needs to the City Council for inclusion by said Council on the general tax assessment.
Section 3. The fiscal year of the Commission shall be the calendar year.

Amendments To By-Laws

Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended at any meeting of the Commission.
Section 2. A majority vote of the members shall be necessary to adopt any amendment to these By-Laws.
Section 3. In any instance where these By-Laws are in conflict with District Court, Fourth Judicial District orders, said Section of these By-Laws is void.