The Eagan City Council this week named seven new members to the city's beleaguered Charter Commission, each of whom said their goal is to disband it as soon as possible.
The new members of the 13-member board are former legislator Bruce (Buzz) Anderson; City Council Member Paul Bakken; Ryan Bronson, conservation manager for Federal Cartridge; City Council Member Peggy Carlson; former City Council Member Shawn Hunter; Daniel Keeley, account manager for Goodrich; and Tom King, a Northwest Airlines pilot who was one of the commission's first members.
The council had already selected Bakken and Carlson and chose the additional five members from 21 applicants.
The City Council has made no secret of its desire to eliminate the commission. Twice in the last four years the Eagan commission has submitted a proposed home rule charter to voters, only to have it overwhelmingly rejected. The most recent time, in November, 91 percent voted against it.
Dee Richards, who chairs the Charter Commission, said the council clearly zeroed in on applicants who opposed the commission.
"What I have to question," she said, "is how can [the new members] fulfill their duties according to what the law says the Charter Commission is supposed to do" -- proposing and amending city charters.
Also this week, Dakota County District Judge David Knutson denied Charter Commission secretary Betty Fedde's request for $1,353 from the city of Eagan as reimbursement for office supplies and an upgrade for the commission website. Knutson ruled that state law doesn't require the city to pay for those expenses.
Kevin Duchschere • 952-882-9017
