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St. Joseph City Council Special Meeting
January 26, 2021
5:30 PM
**Meeting will be conducted in-person at the St. Joseph Government Center. Members of the
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1. 5:30 PM Call to order - Pledge of Allegiance
2. Approve Agenda
3. City Council Resignation
4. Adjourn
75 Callaway Street East | Saint Joseph, Minnesota 56374
Email: cityoffices@cityofstjoseph.com | Phone: 320.363.7201 | Fax 320.363.0342
Council Agenda Item 3
MEETING DATE: January 26, 2021
AGENDA ITEM: City Council Resignation
SUBMITTED BY: Administration
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Council Member Anne Buckvold will resign her seat. The City
Council is statutorily required to fill this vacancy through either appointment or ordering a Special
Election, and this process is regulated by MS 412.02. Since there is less than two years of her Council
term remaining, a special election is not required. Below is analysis of the Council’s options with
consideration of the costs.
Special Election Analysis
If the Council chooses to pursue a special election for the Council seat, it would pass an ordinance
specifying how it planned to hold the special election.
Timing
The special election would require at least 74 days of written notice to the County Auditor. The ordinance
would need to be posted on the City website for 10 days prior to adoption and therefore wouldn’t be
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considered until the February 16 meeting. The earliest the Special Election could take place would be
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May 11, 2021 with June 7 being the first meeting of the newly elected member.
Turnout
Special elections generally produce very low turnouts.
Cost
Since the City’s budget for 2021 is set, the election dollars would have to come out of another fund. The
Clerk and other staff that would help with the election would lose significant productivity in 2021 if the
City chose to pursue a special election. Additionally, election prep would be happening at the same time
as the City audit.
The City of Big Lake provided staff with an estimated cost of having a Special Election, $10,000-
$15,000. While it’s impossible to be 100% accurate in these predictions, staff believes the cost estimate
will be relatively close. There is always the possibility of something coming up that adds to the cost, like
a recount. The estimates above are based on a straightforward election, and should be viewed as a
minimum cost of an election.
Appointment Analysis
The past three council vacancies have been filled by appointment.
That process included:
1. Accepting applications from interested, qualified residents
2. Council review of the applications
3. Interviews
4. Council Appointment
Option 2 for appointment would be simply appointing a resident to the Council without going through the
application/interview process.
Timing
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If the Council chose to appoint, the City would begin seeking applications January 27through February
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9. Interviews and appointment would take place on February 11. The new councilmember would attend
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his/her first meeting on February 16.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: To be determined based on Council’s decision
ATTACHMENTS: Resolution 2021-007
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION:
ACCEPT RESIGNATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER BUCKVOLD AND DECLARE VACANCY:
1. Motion to approve a Resolution 2021-007 accepting the resignation of Council Member Anne
Buckvold effective on January 27, 2021 and declaring a vacancy on the City Council.
OPTIONS TO FILL THE VACANCY (choose ONE):
1.Direct staff to prepare an ORDINANCE Ordering a Special Electionto be brought forward to
Council for approval on February 16, 2021.
2. Motion to approve Appointment to fill the vacancy until the end of the term on December 31,
2022 and identify the process of appointment.
RESOLUTION #2021-007
RESOLUTION ACCEPTING RESIGNATION AND DECLARING A VACANCY
WHEREAS, the St. Joseph City Council has received notice of the resignation of Council Member Anne
Buckvold for her position as a Council Member with a term expiring December 31, 2022.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of St. Joseph, Minnesota that:
1. The City Council hereby accepts Council Member Anne Buckvold’s resignation for her position
as a Council Member for the City of St. Joseph effective January 27, 2021.
2. The City Council hereby declares that vacancy exists on the St. Joseph City Council effective
January 27, 2021.
Adopted by the City Council of St. Joseph, this 26th day of January, 2021.
CITY OF ST. JOSEPH
Rick Schultz, Mayor
ATTEST
Therese Haffner, City Administrator