SF 592

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 02/23/2017 09:16am

A bill for an act
relating to counties; providing a process for making the county auditor-treasurer
appointive in Pine County.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. PINE COUNTY AUDITOR-TREASURER MAY BE APPOINTED.

Subdivision 1.

Authorization to make office appointive.

Notwithstanding Minnesota
Statutes, section 382.01, upon adoption of a resolution by the Pine County Board of
Commissioners, the office of county auditor-treasurer is not elective but must be filled by
appointment by the county board as provided in the resolution.

Subd. 2.

Board controls; may change as long as duties done.

Upon adoption of a
resolution by the county board of commissioners and subject to subdivisions 3 and 4, the
duties of an elected official required by statute whose office is made appointive as authorized
by this section must be discharged by the county board of commissioners acting through a
department head appointed by the board for that purpose. Reorganization, reallocation,
delegation, or other administrative change or transfer does not diminish, prohibit, or avoid
the discharge of duties required by statute.

Subd. 3.

Incumbents to complete term.

The person elected at the last general election
to an office made appointive under this section must serve in that capacity and perform the
duties, functions, and responsibilities required by statute until the completion of the term
of office to which the person was elected or until a vacancy occurs in the office, whichever
occurs earlier.

Subd. 4.

Publishing resolution; petition; referendum.

(a) Before the adoption of a
resolution to provide for the appointment of the county auditor-treasurer, the county board
must publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue
once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county. Following
publication and prior to formally adopting the resolution, the county board shall provide an
opportunity at its next regular meeting for public comment relating to the issue. After the
public comment opportunity, at the same meeting or a subsequent meeting, the county board
of commissioners may adopt a resolution that provides for the appointment of the county
auditor-treasurer as permitted in this section. The resolution must be approved by at least
80 percent of the members of the county board. The resolution may take effect 60 days after
it is adopted, or at a later date stated in the resolution, unless a petition is filed as provided
in paragraph (b).

(b) Within 60 days after the county board adopts the resolution, a petition requesting a
referendum may be filed with the county auditor-treasurer. The petition must be signed by
at least ten percent of the registered voters of the county. The petition must meet the
requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 204B.071,
and any rules adopted to implement that section. If the petition is sufficient, the question
of appointing the county auditor-treasurer must be placed on the ballot at a regular or special
election. If a majority of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of
appointment, the resolution may be implemented.

Subd. 5.

Reverting to elected offices.

(a) The county board may adopt a resolution to
provide for the election of an office made an appointed position under this section, but not
until at least three years after the office was made an appointed position. The county board
must publish a proposed resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the issue
once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county. Following
publication and before formally adopting the resolution, the county board must provide an
opportunity at its next regular meeting for public comment relating to the issue. After the
public comment hearing, the county board may adopt the resolution. The resolution must
be approved by at least 60 percent of the members of the county board and is effective
August 1 following adoption of the resolution.

(b) The question of whether an office made an appointed position under this section
must be made an elected office must be placed on the ballot at the next general election if:

(1) the position has been an appointed position for at least three years;

(2) a petition signed by at least ten percent of the registered voters of the county is filed
with the office of the county auditor-treasurer by August 1 of the year in which the general
election is held; and

(3) the petition meets the requirements of the secretary of state, as provided in Minnesota
Statutes, section 204B.071, and any rules adopted to implement that section. If a majority
of the voters of the county voting on the question vote in favor of making the office an
elected position, the election for the office must be held at the next regular or special election.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day after the Pine County Board of
Commissioners and its chief clerical officer timely complete their compliance with Minnesota
Statutes, section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.