MN Data Practices Advisory Opinions Archive

August 1, 2018 · August 1, 2018; Greenwood Township Board

A member of the public asked whether a town board had violated the Open Meeting Law (OML) by not providing, in the public packet of members’ materials, a copy of a document the board discussed. The Commissioner acknowle…

Open Meeting Law

Advisory Opinion 18-003 18-003

April 5, 2018 · April 5, 2018; St. Anthony Village City Council

A member of the public asked whether a City Council had violated the Open Meeting Law by holding a meeting outside the geographic boundaries of the body, not providing a copy of members’ materials, and eating dinner tog…

Open Meeting Law #Printed materials

Advisory Opinion 17-006 17-006

August 30, 2017 · August 30, 2017; Brunswick Township Board

a member of the public asked whether a town board violated the Open Meeting Law when a quorum of members met and discussed documents prior to calling a meeting to order. The Commissioner opined that the issue involved a…

Open Meeting Law #Townships

Advisory Opinion 17-005 17-005

June 22, 2017 · June 22, 2017; ISD 2154, Eveleth-Gilbert

a member of the public asked whether a school board violated the Open Meeting Law, when a quorum of members sent a letter to another entity. The Commissioner opined that the Board did not comply with the law because the…

Open Meeting Law #School boards

Advisory Opinion 17-003 17-003

April 26, 2017 · April 26 2017, Birchwood Village City Council

a member of the public asked whether a City Council properly closed a meeting pursuant to the attorney-client privilege exception to the Open Meeting Law. The Commissioner could not determine whether the Council made th…

Open Meeting Law #Attorney-client privilege

Advisory Opinion 16-006 16-006

November 4, 2016 · November 4, 2016, ISD 625 (St. Paul)

a school board asked whether it might meet in private facilitated discussions designed to, among other goals, “improve trust, relationships, communications, and collaborative problem solving” among board members, withou…

Open Meeting Law #Training not subject

Advisory Opinion 16-005 16-005

July 15, 2016 · July 13, 2016, Westfield Township Board of Supervisors

a member of the public asked whether a Township Board complied with Open Meeting Law (OML) requirements for a special meeting; whether the board held serial meetings; and whether the board violated the law when a quorum…

Open Meeting Law #Interpretation of meeting #Serial meetings

Advisory Opinion 16-003 16-003

June 22, 2016 · June 22, 2016, Motley City Council

a newspaper reporter asked whether a city council properly closed a meeting pursuant to the attorney-client privilege exception to the Open Meeting Law (Minn. Stat. § 13D.05, subd. 3(b)). The Commissioner opined that th…

Closed meetings Open Meeting Law #Attorney-client privilege

Advisory Opinion 16-002 16-002

June 22, 2016 · June 22, 2016, Moorhead City Council

a member of the public asked whether a city council complied with the Open Meeting Law requirement to provide a summary of conclusions following a closed meeting for a performance evaluation (Minn. Stat. § 13D.05, subd.…

Closed meetings Open Meeting Law #Employee evaluation summary

Advisory Opinion 15-004 15-004

October 1, 2015 · October 1, 2015; Minnesota Film and TV Board

The Minnesota Film and TV Board asked whether it was subject to Minnesota's Open Meeting Law. The Commissioner opined that the Board is not subject to the law because it is not a State board, pursuant to Minnesota Statu…

Open Meeting Law #Entities subject to

Advisory Opinion 15-002 15-002

May 7, 2015 · May 7, 2015; Edina City Council

A member of the public asked if a City Council had complied with the Open Meeting Law (Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13D) when closing two meetings to evaluate the performance of an individual subject to its authority (un…

Closed meetings Open Meeting Law #Employee evaluation summary #Individual performance

Advisory Opinion 14-017 14-017

October 28, 2014 · October 28, 2014; City of East Grand Forks

A requester asked whether a public body properly closed two meetings on the basis of attorney-client privilege pursuant to section 13D.05, subdivision 2(b). In applying the balancing test required by the Minnesota Supre…

Closed meetings Open Meeting Law #Attorney-client privilege

Advisory Opinion 14-015 14-015

October 23, 2014 · October 23, 2014; City of Crystal

A member of the public asked whether a city council’s conduct under the OML was proper on eight different occasions. The council’s “work sessions” were special, not regular meetings, but the Commissioner could not deter…

Closed meetings Meeting notice Open Meeting Law #Attorney-client privilege #Closed meetings #Email #Meeting calendar #Notice

+3 more

#Public comments #Special meeting notice #Statement on record

Advisory Opinion 14-014 14-014

October 13, 2014 · October 13, 2014; City of Corcoran

A member of the public asked whether a public body properly closed two meetings to discuss the purchase of property, pursuant to section 13D.05, subdivision 3(c)(3). At the meetings, both the Mayor and the City Attorney…

Closed meetings Open Meeting Law #Property sale or purchase (13D.05, subd. 3(c))

Advisory Opinion 14-010 14-010

August 5, 2014 · August 5, 2014; Baldwin Township Planning Commission

A member of the public asked about the copy of printed materials at a township meeting. Minnesota Statutes, section 13D.01, subd. 6, requires public bodies to make at least one copy of any printed materials distributed …

Open Meeting Law #Printed materials

Advisory Opinion 14-007 14-007

June 18, 2014 · June 18, 2014; Newport City Council

A member of the public asked whether a City had complied with Minnesota Statutes, section 13D.05, subd. 3(a), regarding a summary of the conclusions of an employee’s performance evaluation at the next open meeting. The …

Closed meetings #Employee evaluation summary

Advisory Opinion 14-005 14-005

June 2, 2014 · June 2, 2014; Houston County

Did the Houston County Board of Commissioners comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13D, at its April 8, 2014, meeting?

Closed meetings Closed meetings Open Meeting Law #Attorney-client privilege #Statement on record

Advisory Opinion 14-004 14-004

May 12, 2014 · May 12, 2014; City of Cold Spring

Did the Cold Spring City Council comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13D, at the February 11, 2014, closed meeting? Did the Cold Spring City Council comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13D, when it closed the Fe…

Closed meetings Open Meeting Law Personnel data #Applicant data #Discussion of not public data in an open meeting #Individual subject to authority

Advisory Opinion 13-015 13-015

December 23, 2013 · December 23, 2013; Florence Township

A member of the public asked various questions about whether a township’s park commission was subject to Chapter 13D, the Open Meeting Law (OML) and whether the township complied with various other provisions of the OML…

Open Meeting Law #Agendas #Email #Special vs. emergency meeting

Advisory Opinion 13-012 13-012

August 9, 2013 · August 09, 2013; City of Mound

A member of the public asked whether a city council had properly closed a meeting for labor negotiation strategies and developments pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, sections 13D.01 and 13D.03. The Commissioner opined tha…

Closed meetings Open Meeting Law #Labor negotiations

Advisory Opinion 13-009 13-009

March 19, 2013 · March 19, 2013; City of Cohasset

A city council held a meeting using Skype to include a council member at a remote location outside of Minnesota, meeting all requirements in section 13D.02. The council complied with section13D.02, because it used Skype…

Open Meeting Law Open Meeting Law #Interactive Television (Skype)

Advisory Opinion 12-011 12-011

May 29, 2012 · May 29, 2012; Middle Snake Tamarac Rivers Watershed District (MSTRWD)

A gathering of “ditch viewers” appointed by a Watershed District Board (drainage authority) pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 103E, is not subject to the Open Meeting Law (Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13D). The dit…

Open Meeting Law #Interpretation of meeting

Advisory Opinion 12-008 12-008

May 2, 2012 · May 2, 2012; South Washington County School Board

A newspaper asked if a school district complied with the Open Meeting Law regarding its summary of the superintendent's performance evaluation. The Board conducted the evaluation during a closed “workshop” meeting held …

Closed meetings Closed meetings Open Meeting Law Open Meeting Law #Employee evaluation summary #Interpretation of meeting #Recessed/continued meetings #Statement on record

Advisory Opinion 12-004 12-004

March 8, 2012 · March 8, 2012; City of Kasson Library Board

Did the City of Kasson Library Board comply with Minnesota Statutes, section 13D.04, regarding notice of a special meeting held Friday, October 21, 2011? Did the City of Kasson Library Board comply with Minnesota Stat…

Meeting notice Open Meeting Law #Special meeting notice

Advisory Opinion 12-001 12-001

January 12, 2012 · January 12, 2012; School District 47 (Sauk Rapids-Rice)

An individual asked if a school district violated the Open Meeting Law (OML) when it conducted an open meeting (a 15-minute presentation by the superintendent with a quorum of school board members present) then broke in…

Open Meeting Law #Interpretation of meeting #Public comments

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