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Minnesota Mayors Association Appendix A: City Council Bylaws I. AUTHORITY. City councils are authorized to adopt rules of procedure and provide for order at their meetings pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 412.191. II. PURPOSE. The purpose of this policy on city council meetings is to set the groundwork for orderly and respectful communications between and among council members, city staff, and citizens to promote the efficient working of the public's business at city council meetings. III. THE OPENMEETING LAW. The Minnesota Open Meeting Law, Minn. Stat. ch. 13D, generally requires that all meetings of public bodies be open to the public. A. This presumption of openness serves three basic purposes: 1. To prohibit actions from being taken at a secret meeting, where it is impossible for the interested public to become fully informed concerning decisions of public bodies, or to detect improper influences. 2. To ensure the public's right to be informed. 3. To afford the public an opportunity to present its views to the public body. B. The city council views providing and encouraging citizen access to city meetings as one of its most important duties. As a result, all council and council committee meetings, including special and adjourned meetings, with the exception of closed meetings, as provided by Minn. Stat. ch. 13D, shall be open to the public. C. In calculating the number of days for providing notice under the Minnesota Open Meeting Law, the first day that the notice is given is not counted, but the last day is counted. If the last day is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, that day is omitted from the calculation and the following day is considered the last day (unless, it happens to be a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday). D. In keeping with the intent of the Minnesota Open Meeting Law, city council members shall not use any form of electronic communications technology, such as text messaging or e-mail, to communicate with one another or third parties during a public meeting in a manner that is hidden or shielded from the public view. E. Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 13D.01, subd. 6, at least one copy of the written materials made available to council at or before the meeting shall also be made available for inspection by the public, excluding any non-public data, attorney -client privileged data, or materials related to agenda items of closed meetings. IV. QUORUM. A simple majority of the council shall constitute a quorum for the valid transaction of any scheduled business to come before the council. Minnesota Mayors 44 Association