Elected Officials and Commissions
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The Oakdale City Council
The City of Oakdale is a Statutory “Plan A” city that allows for a five member at-large city council elected for staggered four year terms. The members of the City Council also comprise the Housing and Redevelopment Authority for Oakdale.
Five citizen advisory boards serve Oakdale; Economic Development, Environmental Management, Parks and Recreation, Planning, and Tree Board. The respective boards and commissions are charged with the role of evaluating the needs and requests of the community and making recommendations to the City Council.
As the legislative branch of the city government the City Council may:
- Create departments and advisory boards, appoint officers, employees, and agents for the city.
- Prescribe the duties, compensation, and employment conditions for its employees.
- Appoint or remove employees in accordance with state law, personnel policies, contracts or ordinances.
- Make an annual tax levy and exercise full authority over the financial affairs of the city
Pictured, from left to right, Council Member Jake Ingebrigtson, Council Member Colleen Swedberg, Mayor Paul Reinke, Council Member Kevin Zabel, Council Member Susan Olson
The Oakdale city council is made up of five members: a mayor and four councilors. They are non-partisan, serve the community "at large", and serve four-year, staggered terms. Elections for Mayor and Council are held in even-numbered years.
Mayor Paul Reinke
Telephone Number 651-773-1104
Term Ends: December 31, 2022
Assignments: Liaison to Tree Board
Council Member Jake Ingebrigtson
Telepone Number 651-216-3343
Term Ends: December 31, 2024
Assignments: Liaison to Parks and Recreation Commission
Council Member Susan Olson
Telephone Number 651-324-7078
Term Ends: December 31, 2022
Assignments: Liaison to Economic Development Commission
Council Member Colleen Swedberg
Telephone Number 651-779-4373
Term Ends: December 31, 2022
Assignments: Acting Mayor, Liaison to Planning Commission
Council Member Kevin Zabel
Telepone Number 612-227-1186
Term Ends December 31, 2024
Assignments: Liaison to Environmental Management Commission
City Council Meeting Details:
- Regular meetings start at 7 PM. Work sessions typically start at 5 PM.
- Second and fourth Tuesdays.
- City Hall, located at 1584 Hadley Avenue N.
Live stream Council meetings or access rebroadcasts of the meetings
Council Structure, Authority, and Responsibilities
The cornerstone of city government in Minnesota is the elected city council. The council fashions the policies that determine a community’s present and future well-being.
The Oakdale City Council consists of the mayor and four (4) council members. Vacancies in office shall be filled for the remainder of the term by the City Council, unless more than two years remains in the term, at which point a special election shall be held. In case of a tie vote on such appointments, the Mayor shall fill the vacancy by appointment for the unexpired term. The Mayor and Council shall serve a term of four (4) years and until a successor is elected and qualifies.
Role of the individual council member – duties are performed, almost without exception, by the council as a whole by:
- Devote their official time to problems of basic policy
- Act as liaisons between the city and the general public
- Participation at council meetings
- Each council member, including the Mayor, has full authority to make and second motions, participate in discussions, and vote on every matter before them.
The City Council’s authority:
- The city council is a continuing body. New members have no effect on the body except to change its membership. This means that all ordinances and resolutions remain in effect until the council alters or rescinds them, or until they expire through their own terms.
- At any time, the council can change any resolution, ordinance, or administrative order whether or not the individuals presently on the council are the same as those serving when the council originally took action. There are exceptions to this rule such as the council cannot rescind or unilaterally alter any valid contracts. This means the law of contracts applies to the council as it does to any other party.
- Judging the qualification and election of its own members by evaluating the credentials of individuals who are, or who claim to be, members of the council. This power includes certifying election results, determining whether an individual has the necessary qualifications to hold office, and deciding whether a council vacancy exists.
- Setting and interpreting rules governing its own proceedings. The council has the following powers to preserve order during its own meetings, to establish rules of procedure, to compel the attendance of members at meetings and to punish non-attendance. The council does not have the power to remove members from office, but it may punish members by fines or by deducting a part of the absentee’s compensation for failure to comply with attendance orders.
- Exercise all the powers of cities that the law does not delegate to others except for powers that the statutes delegate to a specific official or independent board or commission, the council has the power to exercise all powers given to the city.
- Legislating for the city – the council may enact ordinances by a majority vote of all its members except where a larger number is required by law. The power to legislate also includes setting administrative policies and otherwise establishing public policy for the city. The council has the power to declare that violations of any ordinance are a crime and may prescribe penalties for ordinance violations. The statutory city code limits the penalty for ordinance violations to a fine of up to $1,000 or up to 90 days in jail, or both.
- Direct the enforcement of city ordinances – the council directs the enforcement of city ordinances by determining the level of law enforcement, setting qualifications for the police chief and police officers, purchasing certain types of equipment for police use, and by directing and supervising the work of police officers. The city council also directs all departments and employees responsible for the administration of its policies and ordinances in the general administration of their duties. The city council generally should not direct the enforcement efforts of its employees as to particular situations.
- Transact city business including a wealth of activities, such as purchasing, executing legal papers, taking bids, letting contracts, making discretionary administrative decisions, and evaluating the work of the administrative departments and personnel
- Manage the city’s financial operations with full authority over the city’s financial affairs, including but not limited to: levying taxes, adopting a budget, auditing and settling accounts, safekeeping and disbursement of public money, borrowing money, designating depositories. Councils seek the advice of their staff and of consultants in making many of these decisions.
- Conduct the city’s intergovernmental affairs by approving agreements for the joint exercise of powers through agreements with other units of government, appoint people to serve on intergovernmental bodies, conduct city business with state and federal agencies, and participate in intergovernmental programs and the work of municipal associations, such as the League of Minnesota Cities, Metro Cities, etc.
- Protect the welfare of the city and its inhabitants -elected officials must formulate policies that will help the city solve future problems and adjust to social and economic trends. This requires long-range planning regarding city facilities and needs.
- Provide community leadership by participating in civic events and provide leadership by promoting new ideas and suggesting new programs to improve the community and its surrounding areas
- Other specific powers in following areas: Building- power to construct or acquire structures needed for city purposes, and to control, protect, and insure public buildings, property, and records. The council also has the power, by ordinance, to regulate the construction of buildings; Actions at law - power to provide for the initiation or defense of actions in which the city may be interested. The council may employ attorneys for this purpose; Streets - power to lay out or change streets, parks, and other public grounds. By ordinance, the council may regulate the use of streets and public grounds; Parks- the city may establish, improve, maintain, and manage parks and recreational facilities and, by ordinance, protect and regulate their use; Trees – the council has the power to provide for and, by ordinance, regulate the setting out and protection of trees, shrubs, and flowers in the city or upon its property; Waterworks - power to provide for and, by ordinance, regulate the use of wells, cisterns, reservoirs, and other types of water supply; Hospital - power to establish hospitals; Fire prevention - power to establish a fire department, appoint its officers and members, and prescribe their duties. The council also has the power, by ordinance, to prevent, control, or extinguish fires; Naming streets – has the power, by ordinance, to name or rename the streets and public places of the city and to number or renumber the lots and blocks of the city. The council may make and record a consolidated plat of the city; Animals - has the power, by ordinance, to regulate the keeping of animals, to restrain their running at large, and to authorize their impoundment and destruction; Health - power, by ordinance, to provide for the disposal of solid waste, sewage, garbage, and other unwholesome substances; Noise and nuisances - power, by ordinance, to regulate and prevent noise and to define and provide for the prevention or abatement of nuisances; Amusement - power, by ordinance, to prevent or license and regulate billiard tables, bowling alleys, gambling devices, circuses, theatrical performances, amusements, or shows of any kind; Vice -the power, by ordinance, to restrain and punish vagrants, prostitutes, and individuals guilty of lewd conduct; Dances - power, by ordinance, to license and regulate the operation of public-dance halls and the conduct of public dances; Restaurants - power to license and regulate restaurants and public-eating places; Sewer and water connections - power, by ordinance, to require the owner of any property that is abutting or adjacent to any street in which sewer and water mains have been laid to install a toilet in such buildings and connect it with the sewer and water mains; General welfare - power to provide for the government and good order of the city, the prevention of crime, the protection of public and private property, and the promotion of health, order, and convenience through the enactment of ordinances.
- May create such departments and advisory boards and appoint such officers, employees and agents for the city as may be deemed necessary for the proper management and operation of municipal affairs.
- May prescribe the duties and fix the compensation of all officers, both appointive and elective, employees and agents, when not otherwise prescribed by law.
- May, except as otherwise provided, remove any appointive officer or employee when, in its judgment, the public welfare will be promoted by the removal. Such power of removal is subject to veteran's preference, contracts, and other laws that may be applicable.
The City Council has many statutory responsibilities as outlined in Oakdale City Code of Ordinances or by Minnesota State Statute.
- Regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month commencing at 7 p.m. at the Oakdale City Hall. If any such Tuesday is a legal holiday, the meeting will be canceled or held on another date and time as established by City Council action. The Mayor is the presiding officer at council meetings.
- Legislation of the City - All legislation of the city shall be by ordinance or resolution. Ordinances, resolutions, and other matters requiring City Council action shall be prepared at the direction of the City Council; provided however, that the City Administrator or Attorney may present ordinances, resolutions and other matters for consideration.
- Appoint City Administrator to carry out the administrative functions of the Council and to advise the City Council in matters of general policy.
- Responsible for all those appointed to serve on advisory boards and commissions and those personnel appointed by the City Council to act as advisors and consultants to the City Council.
- The City Council shall make final determinations with regard to the employment, promotion, suspension, or dismissal of city employees.
- Responsible for all aspects of city code.
Economic Development Commission
Oakdale strives to preserve and increase the standard of living for all in the community through economic development strategies that grow the local economy, create jobs, develop the local workforce, support existing businesses, and attract new businesses.
Economic Development Commission Meeting Details:
- Regular meetings start at 7 PM. Work sessions typically start at 5 PM.
- Second and fourth Tuesdays.
- City Hall, located at 1584 Hadley Avenue N.
Commissioners:
Bill Burns, Chair
Jeff Bates
Bob Boullianne
Dave Halper
Frank Orsello
Stacie Penn
Gary Severson
Lynn Stafford
Bob Stiglich
Erin Voca
Holly Koep, ex officio
Vacancy
Vacancy
Susan Olson, Council Liaison
Enviromental Management Commission
The Environmental Management Commission promotes the orderly disposal of solid waste and promotes recycling, composting, water quality, wetland conservation, air quality, tree preservation, and energy conservation.
Economic Development Commission Meeting Details:
- Regular meetings start at 7 PM.
- Third Monday of the month; no meetings are held in December. Also, the January and February meetings are typically rescheduled due to federal holidays.
- City Hall, located at 1584 Hadley Avenue N.
Commissioners:
Keith Miller, Chair
Noah Gerding, Vice Chair
Connor Brown
Gretel Fink
Nick Kantola
Bonnie Wilson
Vacancy
Kevin Zabel, Council Liaison
Parks & Recreation Commission
The Parks & Recreation Commission promotes matters affecting the development and use of parks and recreational facilities in Oakdale.
Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Details:
- Regular meetings start at 7 PM.
- Third Tuesday of the month; no meetings are held in January or December
- City Hall, located at 1584 Hadley Avenue N.
Commissioners:
Paul Lockhart, Chair
Janet Cunningham
Glen Giacoletto
Mark Giannini
Freddie Jiles
Steve Meyer
Jake Ingebrigtson, Council Liaison
Planning Commission
The Planning Commission promotes matters affecting planning, development, and redevelopment.
Planning Commission Meeting Details:
- Regular meetings start at 7 PM.
- First Thursday of every month
- City Hall, located at 1584 Hadley Avenue N.
Commissioners:
Emily Milles, Chair
Yaya Diatta, Vice Chair
Christopher Campbell
Dallas Pierson
Lee Stolarski
Tom Willenbring
Vacancy
Colleen Swedberg, Council Liaison
Tree Board
The Tree Board promotes tree preservation, maintenance, and planting.
Tree Board Meeting Details:
- Regular meetings start at 5 PM.
- Third Tuesday in January, March, June, and September
- City Hall, located at 1584 Hadley Avenue N.
Commissioners:
Nick Kantola, Chair
Marge Sagstetter, Vice Chair
Glen Giacoletto
Stan Karwoski
Dallas Pierson
Mike Saarela
Cathie Schreifels
Paul Reinke, Council Liaison