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THE DEMISE t)F THE RO~~ CJEIARTI~ CQARI'~fIS5ION <br />A Brief History by Al Sands <br />January 22, 2007 <br />The Roseville Charter Commission was created in August, 1999, after a group of <br />Roseville Citizens, including myself, petitioned their fellow Roseville residents and <br />obtained the required $00 ar so voter signatures necessary to require the Chief Judge of <br />Ramsey County to create a Roseville Charter Commission and appoint 9 members, as <br />requested by Roseville petitioners. Judge Cohen was the presiding judge at that time. <br />Over the next several years the commission prepazed two charters and presented <br />them to the voters, providing far Initiative and Referendum. In 2001, the voters voted <br />against the proposed charter by 59% to 41 %. Confident that we'd have better luck in an <br />even numbered year, when more voters vote in statewide elections, we presented another <br />charter in November, 2002. That one failed by an even worse margin, b3% against. <br />That was the last charter proposal presented to Roseville voters. <br />There was huge opposition to a charter from several civic groups. In particular, <br />Ed Burrell, a popular former finance director of Roseville far over 15 yeazs who had been <br />recently defeated in his bid to City Council by Tam Kough, led a strong and tough fight <br />against having a charter, together with the Roseville Citizens for Responsive and Open <br />Government, now known as the Roseville Citizens League. <br />Commission. members were reluctant to disband the commission, which required <br />7 out of 9 votes. Ramsey County Chief Judge Gregg Johnson began consistently <br />appointing anti- charter members to the charter commission. In October, 2005, he <br />appointed five commission. members who, along with previous anti-charter members, <br />provided the necessary 7 votes out of 9 necessary to disband the charter. <br />On Janury 17, 2007, the Roseville Charter Commission was officially disbanded. <br />Those voting to disband' John Goedeke Dennis Harris Vick Lorenz Ronald <br />Riach. Lawrence Shearon Margaret Smith and Georaiana Sobola <br />'Those voting against disbandinr~• Al Sands, Karen Schaffer <br /> <br />For charter enthusiasts who may wish to consider yet another charter in the future, <br />a brief recap of different ways to get a charter commission appointed is attached. <br />~ .Suttt~ 2612 Aldine St. N., Roseville, MN. 551-633-5761 <br />