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Out with two-year mayor, in with four-year term

Subhead
Out with 'alderman' title, in with 'council member'
By
Lori Sorenson

The Luverne mayor will now serve four-year terms, rather than two, and elected leaders on the Luverne City Council are now known as “council members” rather than “aldermen.”
These were two changes recommended by the Luverne’s Charter Commission following their annual meeting, and City Council members unanimously approved them at their meeting Jan. 14.
The alderman name change is effective immediately, and the mayor’s term changes with the 2020 election cycle.
 
Four-year mayor discussion
According to discussion at the meeting, reasons for changing the mayoral term include legislative continuity, long term planning and budgeting.
“Honestly, as a council member, I think everybody here knows your first two years are for learning, and the same is true for the mayor,” said Mayor Pat Baustian, who proposed the change for the Charter Commission.
“You really don’t know how things operate until at least two years.”
He said a longer mayoral term makes sense, considering most planning, like capital improvement budgets and economic development, for example, are discussed in terms of five to 10 years.
“With a four-year mayor, it will ensure stability within our planned long-term growth. It helps to achieve our council and mayor goals for our community,” Baustian said.
“Everybody up here knows that our economic development projects don’t happen overnight, and with a four-year mayor, that creates better continuity.”
Retirements are on the horizon in the next three to five years for city finance director Barb Berghorst, water and wastewater supervisor Al Lais and City Administrator John Call.
“It helps to have a four-year mayor in place for succession planning,” Baustian said.
He added that most cities the size of Luverne operate their own municipal utilities typically have four-year mayors.
“We’re running a $21 million billable business with our water, sewer and electric utilities,” Baustian said. “Having a two-year mayor … that doesn’t serve our city well.”
He pointed out that a four-year term won’t give the Luverne any more decision-making power on the council.
“We’ll still have a weak mayor, whether it’s two years or four,” he said. “Right now, the only time the mayor votes is in a tie-breaker, and I can tell you in the past nine years I’ve been mayor, I’ve voted once on a tie issue.”
He said in his role as mayor, he sets the meeting agendas and provides guidance for the council on issues affecting the city. Beyond that, council members have voting power, and the fact that council members serve four-year terms preserves stability.
The changes to Luverne’s Home Rule Charter required the council to adopt and approve an ordinance amending the city charter, which is what happened Jan. 14.
If for any reason future councils decide these amendments aren’t working, they could change them back using the same process. “It’s not a permanent thing,” Baustian said.
 
Alderman now known as ‘council member’
As part of the City Charter changes, the council also voted last week to amend the title of alderman to council member.
During the Jan. 14 discussion, Luverne city leaders said most cities they work with have long ago abandoned the alderman title.
“It’s antiquated,” said council member Caroline Thorson. “Especially when you’re at conferences with other cities; nobody is referred to as alderman anymore.”
The decision will require new nameplates in council chambers of City Hall where the Luverne City Council meets.

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