Northfield Charter Commission Meeting - November 13, 2025

Meeting convened at 6:00 PM and adjourned at 6:15 PM. All six present commissioners approved routine items and engaged in a brief discussion on a proposed amendment to Charter Section 4.1. No public comment was received and no formal action was taken on the amendment.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the September 11, 2025 meeting minutes (motion by Jensen, second by Prichard; 6-0 vote).
• Excused the absence of Commissioner C C Linstroth (motion by Hoschouer, second by Jensen; 6-0 vote).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comment was received.

Discussion Items

• Proposed Amendment to Charter Section 4.1: Chair Heisler noted that City Administrator Ben Martig was standing in as technical advisor. Commissioner Oney, who was presiding, sought to disallow comments from Mr. Martig on the grounds that the time for public comment had passed. Commissioner Hoschouer objected to that characterization, leading to a procedural exchange; Commissioner Oney stated he chose to continue the meeting and ignore the interjection.
• Commissioner Oney questioned the necessity of a change, stating that Section 4.1 has "worked well for many years" and that when the Council or City Staff "messes up," the tendency is to pass the issue to the Charter Commission to fix. He described the section as straightforward and clear.
• Chair Heisler said the issue may not need a fix but is worthy of discussion.
• Commissioner Prichard agreed with Heisler, noting that there could always be things improved and it is difficult to determine how the Charter applies in a case that has not arisen.
• No formal motion was made on the proposed amendment.

Key Outcomes

• The discussion concluded without a vote or referral; the commission adjourned at 6:15 PM (motion by Jensen, second by Prichard; 6-0 vote).