NEW ULM — The first consideration of recommended Home Rule Charter amendments was held Tuesday by the City Council.

Among these proposed amendments was the removal of anti-nepotism language in the charter while adding language on conflicts of interest.

The council unanimously approved the first consideration of the amendment, which removed the nepotism language. This amendment was the primary reason the city convened the Charter Commission.

City Manager Chris Dalton read the proposed amendment to Section 24, where the nepotism restriction is found in the charter. The original provision prevented anyone related to a city employee from being elected to mayor or City Council. Recently this law forced several individuals to resign from the council or from employment with the city.

The amendment made by the Charter Commission took out the restriction on relatives of elected officials working for the city. The replacement provision stated elected officials cannot influence or attempt to influence hiring, transfer, suspension, promotion, discharge, reward, discipline or the adjustment of grievances of a related person.

The conflict of interest amendment was related to this change. The charter commission agreed the nepotism language was too strict. The added language required any elected official who had a conflict of interest on a specific issue to refrain from voting on or participating in any action or decision regarding the matter.

Councilor David Christian served on the commission and said there was significant time spent drafting these amendments, but the commission acknowledged it was impossible to write a code that applies perfectly to every situation. The commission reviewed codes from other cities and used what they believed would work best.

Christian made the motion to receive the first consideration of the amendments and set a public hearing for the proposed changes, scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 6. The motion was seconded by Councilor Eric Warmka.

The amendments were based on the recommendation of the city’s Charter Commission that convened between May 17 and July 27.

The commission recommended several changes to the charter. In addition to removal of the anti-nepotism language and the addition of a conflict of interest amendment, other proposed amendments are a change to resolution vote procedures; minor schedule change for the preparation of the annual city budget and changes to lien and certification for unpaid utility services.