Local Government – Week of March 31, 2011

STAFF CONTACT:  Kerry Wright

HF 132 – Modifying urban renewal plans

HF 454 — Delegation of Certification Authority

HF 512 – Exemption from standards & requirements for cities

HF 516 – Subdivision improvement notice

HF 569 – Vacancies in elected city offices

COMMITTEE ACTION:

HF 132 requires an ordinance for division of property taxes collected under an urban renewal plan to be filed with the county auditor in the county where the plan was adopted. [3/24: short form (Schoenjahn excused)]

HF 454 allows a city utility to delegate its certification authority to a designee by a resolution of the utility’s governing board. The city council of a city that is contracting with a city utility for joint billing or collection or bath may, by ordinance, delegate to the city utility or their designee the city’s authority to certify unpaid rates or charges to the county treasurer. [3/24: short form (Rielly, Quirmbach excused)]

HF 512 allows an exemption from requirements of the joint investment of public funds by local governments that have established a qualified trust to fund future liabilities for “other post-employee benefits” to invest in long-term securities such as equities. This legislation makes it optional for cities and counties to participate in the above. [3/24: short form (Schoenjahn excused)]

HF 516 requires a city to notify a contractor 48 hours in advance of when the city will consider the acceptance of subdivision improvements that the contractor has made. [3/24: short form (Rielly excused)]

HF 569 corrects differing interpretations of what date is required to put a filled vacant seat in a city election back on the ballot for re-election. The bill defines the next election for that vacant seat as the next regular city election, which occurs in November on the odd-numbered years. This bill was referred from the Senate Calendar to Senate State Government. [3/24: short form (Schoenjahn excused)]