2008-02-13 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

10 Centerville - Administration (2) Open meeting law. Under the Minneso.ta Open Meeting Law, all city committee meetings . must be o.pen to. the public. (a) The o.pen meeting law serves three vital purpo.ses: 1. To. pro.hibit actio.ns fro.m being taken at a secret meeting where the interested public canno.t be fully info.rmed o.f the decisio.ns o.f public bodies o.r detect improper influences; 2. To. ensure the public's right to. be info.rmed; and 3. To. give the public an o.ppo.rtunity to. present its views. (b) The law prohibits the use o.f telepho.ne co.nversatio.ns, e-mail o.r letters in a decisio.n-making process amo.ng a quorum o.f members designed to. avo.id an open meeting. (c) Any perso.n who. intentio.nally vio.lates the o.pen meeting law is subject to. perso.nal liability in the fo.rm o.f a civil penalty. The public body may no.t pay the penalty. (H) Minutes. The Co.mmittee must keep a full and accurate reco.rd o.f its actio.ns at every Co.mmittee meeting. The Administrato.r records the Co.mmittee pro.ceedings in a minute bo.o.k. In the absence o.f the city staff member to. take the minutes, the Co.mmittee sho.uld delegate the duty o.ftaking minutes fo.r that meeting. (1) The minutes should be written in language and in terms the average citizen understands. (2) If the Co.mmittee finds a mistake in the minutes o.fthe previo.us meeting, the minutes will be co.rrected during the current meeting and reflected in the minutes. (3) Once the Co.mmitteehas fo.rmally approved the minutes o.f any meeting, the minutes sho.uld no.t be changed under any circumstances. (4) Minutes are o.fficial papers o.fthe city. Minute bo.o.ks are public reco.rds, shall be kept o.n me with the Administrato.r and must be available for public view at any reaso.nable time. (5) The fo.llo.wing info.rmatio.n should be included in the minutes: (a) The time and place o.f the meeting; (b) The membets present; -25-