Laserfiche WebLink
10/16/23, 9:56 AM Print Preview <br />https://lakeelmo.municipalcodeonline.com/book/print?type=ordinances&name=TITLE_3_ADMINISTRATION 3/39 <br />(b)Purpose. The purpose of this policy on city council meetings is to set the groundwork for orderly <br />and respectful communications between and among councilmembers, city staff, and citizens to <br />promote the efficient working of the public's business at city council meetings. <br />(c)Regular meetings. Except as provided herein, regular meetings shall be held at city hall <br />beginning at 7:00 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. The city council may <br />cancel regular council meetings by adopting the appropriate motion at any duly called council <br />meeting. The city council may change the date, time, and/or place of a regular meeting by <br />adopting the appropriate motion at any duly called council meeting and by posting a written <br />notice of the date, time, and place of the rescheduled meeting on the city bulletin board and at <br />the main entrance to the city hall at least three days before the date of the rescheduled regular <br />meeting. <br />(1)Quorum. A simple majority (three) of the council shall constitute a quorum for the valid <br />transaction of any scheduled business to come before the council. <br />(2)Location. All meetings, including special, recessed, closed, and continued meetings, <br />shall be held in the city council chambers, located at city hall, unless otherwise <br />designated, pursuant to M.S.A. § 13D.04, subd. 2. <br />(3)Schedule. A schedule of regular meetings shall be kept on file with the city clerk. <br />(4)Recessed or continued meetings. When a meeting is recessed or continued, the <br />presiding officer shall state the time and place for the next meeting to occur pursuant to <br />M.S.A. § 13D.04, subd. 4. The time and place shall also be noted in the minutes. If the <br />time and place is stated and noted in the minutes, no additional notice of the meeting is <br />required, unless otherwise required by law. However, if the time and place is not stated <br />and noted as required herein, compliance with the notice procedures for a special <br />meeting, as defined in this section, shall be required. <br />(d)Open Meeting Law. The Minnesota Open Meeting Law (OML), M.S.A. ch. 13D, generally <br />requires that all meetings of public bodies be open to the public. <br />(1)Principles. The presumption of openness in the OML serves three basic principles: <br />a.To prohibit actions from being taken at a secret meeting, where it is impossible <br />for the interested public to become fully informed concerning the decisions of <br />public bodies, or to detect improper influences; <br />b.To ensure the public's right to be informed; and <br />c.To afford the interested public an opportunity to present its views to the public <br />body on matters of public interest. <br />(2)The city council views providing and encouraging citizen access to city meetings as one <br />of its most important duties. As a result of this principle, all council and committee <br />meetings, including special meetings, with the exception of closed meetings, as required <br />by M.S.A. ch. 13D, shall be open to the public. <br />(3)In calculating the number of days for providing notice under the OML, the first day that <br />the notice is given is not counted, but the last day is counted. If the last day is a <br />Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, that day is omitted from the calculation and the day <br />following the Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday is considered the last day. <br />(4)In keeping with the intent of the OML, councilmembers shall not use any form of <br />communications technology, such as text messaging or email, to communicate with <br />another person during a public meeting in a manner that is hidden or shielded from <br />public view.