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RELEVANT LINKS: <br />Minn Stat. § 471 895, subd. <br />1(c). <br />Minn. Stat § 471.895, subd. <br />3. <br />Minn. Stat. § 21 A.O1, subd. <br />5. <br />As so many individuals can be involved in the decision-making process, <br />trying to distinguish between city "employees" and "officials" is quite <br />difficult. As a consequence, the safest course of action is to assume the law <br />applies to all employees, regardless of their title or job responsibilities. <br />2. Interested persons <br />An "interested person" is a person or representative of a person or <br />association that has a direct financial interest in a decision that a local <br />official is authorized to make. <br />An interested person likely includes anyone who may provide goods or <br />services to a city such as engineers, attorneys, financial advisers, <br />contractors, and salespersons. But, virtually every resident or person doing <br />business in the city could have a direct financial interested in a decision <br />that an official is authorized to make. These may include: <br />• Property tax levies. <br />• Special assessments. <br />• Licenses and permits. <br />• Land use decisions. <br />If an individual could have a direct financial interest in a decision or <br />recommendation that a city official would be authorized to make, he or she <br />might be considered an interested person for purposes of the gift law. <br />B. Exceptions <br />The following types of gifts are permitted under exceptions to the gift law: <br />• Lawful campaign contributions. <br />• Services to assist an official in the performance of official duties. Such <br />services can include (but are not limited to) providing advice, <br />consultation, information, and communication in connection with <br />legislation and services to constituents. <br />• Services of insignificant monetary value. <br />• A plaque or similar memento. Such items are permitted when given in <br />recognition of individual services in a field of specialty or to a <br />charitable cause. <br />• A trinket or memento costing $5 or less. <br />• Informational material of unexceptional value. <br />• Food or beverage given at a reception, meal or meeting. This exception <br />only applies if the recipient is making a speech or answering questions <br />as part of a program that is located away from the recipient's place of <br />work. <br />League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 10/17/2014 <br />Oficial Conflict of Interest Page 4 <br />