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RELEVANT LINKS: <br />The district court found that no "meeting" of the council had occurred <br />because there was never a quorum of the council present during the <br />interviews. <br />However, the court of appeals sent the case back to the district court for a <br />determination of whether the council members had conducted the interview <br />process in a serial fashion to avoid the requirements of the open meeting <br />law. <br />Mankato Free Press v. City <br />On remand, the district court found that the individual interviews were not <br />of North Mankato, No. C9- <br />98-677 (Minn. Ct. App. <br />done to avoid the requirements of the open meeting law. This decision was <br />Dec.15,1998) <br />also appealed, and the court of appeals affirmed the district court's <br />(unpublished decision). <br />decision. Cities that want to use this type of interview process should first <br />consult their city attorney. <br />2. Informational meetings and committees <br />St. Cloud Newspapers, Inc. <br />The Minnesota Supreme Court has held that informational seminars about <br />v. Dist. 742 Community <br />Schools, 332 N.W.2d 1 <br />school -board business, which the entire board attends, must be noticed and <br />(Minn. 1983). <br />open to the public. As a result, it appears that any scheduled gatherings of a <br />quorum or more of a city council must be properly noticed and open to the <br />public, regardless of whether the council takes or contemplates taking <br />action at that gathering. This includes meetings and work sessions where <br />members receive information that may influence later decisions. <br />Many city councils create committees to make recommendations regarding <br />a specific issue. Commonly, such a committee will be responsible for <br />researching the issue and submitting a recommendation to the council for <br />its approval. <br />These committees are usually advisory, and the council is still responsible <br />Dro 08-007. <br />for making the final decision. This type of committee may be subject to the <br />Dro 13-015. <br />open meeting law. Some factors that may be relevant in deciding whether a <br />committee is subject to the open meeting law include: how the committee <br />was created and who its members are; whether the committee is performing <br />an ongoing function, or instead, is performing a one-time function; and <br />what duties and powers have been granted to the committee. <br />Dro 05-014. <br />For example, the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of <br />Administration has advised that "standing" committees of a city hospital <br />board that were responsible for management liaison, collection of <br />information, and formulation of issues and recommendations for the board <br />were subject to the open meeting law. The advisory opinion noted that the <br />standing committees were performing tasks that relate to the ongoing <br />operation of the hospital district and were not performing a one-time or "ad <br />hoc" function. <br />League of Minnesota Cities Handbook for Minnesota Cities 8/30/2022 <br />Meetings, Motions, Resolutions, and Ordinances Chapter 7 1 Page 19 <br />