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RELEVANT LINKS: <br />Minn. Stat. § 10A.07, subd. <br />Minnesota Campaign <br />Finance and Disclosure <br />Board: Inability to Abstain <br />from Potential Conflict of <br />Interest Form. <br />Minn. Stat. § 469.009. <br />Minn. Stat. § 469.098. <br />"Local Officials in a <br />Metropolitan Govenunent <br />Unit Handbook," Minnesota <br />Campaign Finance and <br />Public Disclosure Board <br />(Feb. 2010). <br />Minnesota Campaign <br />Finance and Public <br />Disclosure Board, 190 <br />Centennial Office Building, <br />658 Cedar Street, St. Paul, <br />MN 55155;(651)539-1180 <br />or (800) 657-3889. <br />c. Inability to abstain <br />If the city official is not permitted to abstain or cannot abstain, he or she <br />must file a statement describing the potential conflict and the action taken. <br />The official must file this statement with the city council within a week of <br />the action. <br />d. HRAs and EDAs <br />Before taking an action or making a decision which could substantially <br />affect the commissioner's (or an employee's) financial interests (or those of <br />an organization with which the commissioner or an employee is <br />associated), commissioners or employees of an HRA or EDA are required <br />to disclose their interests. Individuals face criminal penalties for <br />noncompliance. <br />D. Violations <br />Individuals who are subject to the Act can be personally responsible for <br />any sanctions that result from failing to comply with the reporting <br />requirements. Criminal and civil penalties are available for individuals <br />who: <br />• Knowingly file false information or knowingly omit required <br />information. <br />• Willfully fail to amend a filed statement. <br />• Knowingly fail to keep records for four years from the date of filing. <br />Local officials with questions concerning their responsibilities under the <br />Act should contact their city attorney or Board staff. <br />VIII.Conclusion <br />All public officials face ethical challenges during the term of their public <br />service. Reviewing the roles elected and appointed officials play within <br />city government helps councils and staff sort out responsibilities, identify <br />and mitigate conflicts of interests, and generally avoid the appearance of <br />impropriety. <br />League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 10/17/2014 <br />Official Conflict of Interest Page 35 <br />