2013-06-19_packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

June 19, 2013 Item 4 Approve Portion of April 17 Draft Minutes April 17, 2013 Minutes – lines 192-221 Chair Grefenberg's suggested changes PRESENTATIONS: OPEN MEETING LAW, DATA PRACTICES AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS Presentation by City Attorney Mark Gaughan: Mark Gaughan, representing the law firm which serves as the City's Attorney, explained he was present this evening to discuss with the Commission the open meeting law, data practices and City Council policies regarding electronic communications. City Attorney Gaughan indicated that the State's Open Meeting Law seemed to be the most relevant to the Commission as follows: its meetings must be open to the public and the public properly notified regarding time, place, and what the meeting was about. In respect to the HRC, the definition of a meeting is whenever there is a quorum of the Commission present discussing, debating, or deciding official business. Gaughan added that meetings can occur during e-mail communications with a quorum of Commissioners, and his advice to the HRC members to avoid sending emails discussing HRC official business to one another, especially e-mails with a"reply all" option. In response to a question from Chair Grefenberg Gaughan defined official business as anything that required a collective decision of the Commission. Commissioner Thao asked if an e-mail regarding meeting time or location could be considered "official business". Attorney Gaughan replied that the best practice was to run e-mails through staf£ Later on he added that HRC committees—as long as said Committee did not constitute a quorum--could prepare recommendations for the full Commission's action. City Attorney Gaughan understood that emails were an efficient form of communication, but the open meeting law �should be carefully followed or the HRC members risk receiving a$300 fine for intentional violations What was the real difference between an e-mail transmitted by staff and one transmitted by a commissioner. Commissioner Becker asked. Gaughan acknowledged that every situation was different, but he was providing the safest general advice. Chair Grefenberg asked if all meeting notices had to have an agenda, referring to an issue raised at a recent League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions meeting. City Attorney Gaughan stated that it would be appropriate to have an agenda that list out the items for discussion.