05/30/2001 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

A.G. Op. 470 -C (Feb. 18, 1959). Minn. Stat. § 412.221, subd.1; Minn. Stat. § 15.17, subd. 1. Minn. Stat. § 412.151, subd. 1. Minn. Stat. § 412.191, subd. 3. Minn. Stat. § 412.191, subd. 4; Minn. Stat. §§ 471.697 -.698. CHAPTER 7 If the council finds a mistake in the minutes of the previous meeting, the clerk should change the minutes to reflect what actually occurred. If the clerk declines, the council can order the change by motion and a vote. The clerk must then make the change and show in the minutes that the change was made by order of the council. Once the council has formally approved the minutes of any meeting, the minutes should not be changed under any circumstances. The council can dispense with the reading of the minutes if all councilmembers have received them prior to the meeting. The council must provide books and stationery for keeping minutes. State law requires all cities to keep minutes on a physical medium that is of a quality that will ensure permanent records. Because minutes are official papers of the city, the clerk should sign them. Although the law does not require it, many cities also have the mayor sign the minutes after the council has approved them. If the minute book includes only a clipping from the published proceedings, the clerk should sign the clipping even though the signatures of the clerk and mayor are already printed on the clipping. Minute books are public records and must be available for public view at any reasonable time. Publication of council minutes After every regular or special meeting, statutory cities with over 1,000 population must publish the official council proceedings or a summary of the official minutes. The summary must include action on motions, resolutions, ordinances, and other official proceedings. As an alternative to publication, the city may mail, at city expense, a copy of the proceedings to any resident upon request. Publication of the council minutes must occur within 30 days of the meeting. Cities with a population of less than 1,000 according to the latest federal census, are not required but may choose to publish the council proceedings. The publication requirement does not cover home rule charter cities. Therefore, if a home rule city does not have a charter requirement, it does not need to publish council minutes. Whether or not the city publishes minutes, it must publish ordinances and, in certain cases, the annual fmancial statement. 161