At the board’s October 27 meeting Grand Marais City counselors discussed codifying the city ordinances, which was last done in 1994.
According to American Legal Publishing (ALP), codifying includes removing repealed or obsolete ordinances and editing for proper grammar, consistency and clarity. Codifying also encompasses formatting the material into userfriendly titles, chapters and sections, and supplementing with new ordinances.
When ordinances are codified, organized and put into digital form, it allows the public easier access to the material as well as government employees who have up to date, clearly written accessible laws to follow or enforce.
Codification also helps stop the municipal legislative body from enacting redundant or inconsistent new ordinances, and lets the council or board view the body of law as a whole and note any gaps in coverage, which may need legislation.
ALP will send a “Legal and Editorial Report” by December 9, 2020 to the city of Grand Marais. ALP suggested postponing an in-depth review of the cities’ draft code until the report is received. City staff will get a copy of the ALP report and council members will get a copy for discussion, which will be added to an upcoming agenda.
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