Minnesota Session Laws - 1991, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1991 

                        CHAPTER 300-S.F.No. 1295 
           An act relating to Ramsey county; creating a Ramsey 
          county local government cooperation and consolidation 
          study commission; setting its duties. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [RAMSEY COUNTY LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES 
STUDY.] 
    A Ramsey county local government services study commission 
is established to study cooperation between local governments, 
including school districts, and the possible sharing and 
consolidation of services, structures, and functions.  The 
commission shall explore cooperative ventures which would be 
mutually beneficial to the communities involved, review and 
recommend ways to eliminate overlap and duplication, design 
programs that would improve services and reduce costs, and 
develop a systematic process for cooperating, restructuring, 
sharing, or consolidating.  The commission shall report on the 
advantages and disadvantages of sharing, cooperating, 
restructuring, or consolidating, with attention to: 
    (a) citizen participation in government; 
    (b) efficiency and effectiveness of the provision of public 
service; 
    (c) taxation and other public finance matters; 
    (d) public employees; 
    (e) structure of government; 
    (f) possible public economies; 
    (g) the historic identity of the community; 
    (h) economic development; 
    (i) social development; 
    (j) environment; and 
    (k) other significant factors. 
    The commission shall report and make recommendations to the 
local government units in Ramsey county before November 15, 
1991.  The elected councils and boards of the local government 
units affected by any recommendation, and the Ramsey county 
league of local governments and the Ramsey county charter 
commission, shall indicate, by resolution, their response to the 
commission's recommendations before January 15, 1992.  The 
commission's recommendations and any responses shall be 
presented to the members of the Ramsey county legislative 
delegation and to the legislature before February 1, 1992.  The 
commission may not adopt any recommendation without a 60 percent 
affirmative vote of the commission members voting on the issue. 
    The commission may examine consolidation, cooperation, 
restructuring, or sharing of any services, groups of services, 
or local government structures as the commission determines 
except that specific examination and recommendation shall be 
made in regard to: 
    (1) the city and county health departments; 
    (2) city and county attorney's functions as they relate to 
criminal law; 
    (3) city and county libraries; 
    (4) public works; and 
    (5) police and sheriff communications, crime lab and 
investigative functions. 
    The commission shall be 25 residents of, or persons whose 
principal place of business is located in, Ramsey county 
selected as follows: 
    (1) two members of the county board or county employees who 
reside in the city of St. Paul, selected by the county board; 
    (2) two members of the county board or county employees who 
reside in the county but not in the city of St. Paul, selected 
by the county board; 
    (3) three members selected by the St. Paul city council 
from among the mayor and city council members or other city 
employees; 
    (4) three members selected jointly by the city councils and 
town boards of the cities and towns in the county, other than St.
Paul, from among their mayors and members or their employees; 
    (5) one member of the school board of independent school 
district No. 625 or an employee, selected by the board; 
    (6) one member of the school boards of other school 
districts operating in Ramsey county or an employee of those 
districts, selected jointly by the board members of the several 
districts; 
    (7) six members of the public who are not public employees 
and do not hold public office, selected by the members of the 
legislature who represent the city of St. Paul and the members 
serving under clauses (1), (3), and (5); 
    (8) six members of the public who are not public employees 
and do not hold public office, selected by the members of the 
legislature who represent Ramsey county outside the city of St. 
Paul and the members serving under clauses (2), (4), and (6); 
and 
    (9) a chair selected by the other members of the commission 
who is not an elected official or public employee and who is not 
one of the above members of the commission. 
    The commission shall be assisted by a staff committee whose 
members shall consist of the city managers and chief of staff 
from the communities within Ramsey county, the Ramsey county 
executive director, and professional staff of these governmental 
units.  This committee shall provide technical assistance to the 
commission.  The committee may request the assistance of any 
other public or private agency or entity. 
    Members of the commission and the committee shall serve 
without compensation other than expenses that would be 
reimbursed to them by the units of government which they 
represent.  The commission may accept gifts, grants, or 
donations from public and private entities to assist with the 
costs of its work.  A gift, grant, or donation is not subject to 
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 10A, or other law or rule regulating 
lobbying expenses. 
    Sec. 2.  [COOPERATION.] 
    The commission must solicit recommendations from the Ramsey 
county league of local governments and the Ramsey county charter 
commission.  By September 1, 1991, the commission must receive 
any recommendations from the league or charter commission.  In 
its final report, the commission must state its conclusions with 
respect to the recommendations of the league and the charter 
commission. 
    Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
    This act takes effect the day after final enactment. 
    Presented to the governor May 30, 1991 
    Signed by the governor June 3, 1991, 9:40 a.m.