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RELEVANT LINKS: <br /> Because this decision is unpublished, it is not binding on other courts. In <br /> �-- addition,the outcome of this decision might have been different if the <br /> substance of the emails had related to something other than operational <br /> matters, for example, if the emails were attempting to build agreement on a <br /> particular issue that was going to be presented to the town board at a future <br /> . meeting. <br /> Minn.Stat§ 13D.065. �2014,the open meet�ng law was amended to provide that"the use of <br /> social media by members of a public body does not violate the open meeting <br /> law as long as the social media use is limited to exchanges with all members <br /> of the genera.l public:'Email is not considered a type of social media under <br /> , the new law. <br /> The open meeting law does not define the term"social media,"but this term <br /> is generally understood to mean forms of electronic communication, <br /> including websites for social networking like Facebook, LinkedIn,and <br /> MySpace as well as blogs and microblogs like Twitter through which users <br /> create online communities to share information, ideas, and other content. <br /> It is important to remember that the use of social media by city <br /> councilmembers could result in other claims, in addition to open meeting <br /> law claims, such as claims of defamation or of bias in decision cnaking. <br /> As a result,councilmembers should make sure that any comments they make <br /> on social media are factually correct, and they should not make any <br /> comments demonstrating bias on issues that will come before the council in <br /> �- the future for a quasiyudicial decision, such as the consideraxion of whether <br /> to grant an application for a conditional use permit. <br /> Moberg v.lndep.Sch Dist It is also important to remember that serial discussions between less than a <br /> No.281,336 N.W.2d 510 <br /> �M�,.i9ss>.s�s�tion n. quorum of a public body that is subject to the open meeting law could <br /> G.6.-�ri�r"�ekngs. violate the open meeting law under certa.in circumstances.Therefore, city <br /> councils and other groups to which the open meeting law applies should take <br /> a conservative approach and avoid using letters,telephone conversations, <br /> email,and other such technology if the following circumstances exist: <br /> � A quorum of the council will be contacted regazding the same matter. <br /> • City business is being discussed. <br /> Minn.Stat§ 13.02,S„ba.�. �o�er thing councilmembers should be careful about is which email <br /> account they use to receive emails relating to city business because such <br /> ' emails would likely be considered government data.that are subject to a <br /> public-records request under the Minnesota.Government Data.Practices Act <br /> (MGDPA). The best option would be for each councilmember to have an <br /> individual email account that the city provides and city staffmanage. <br /> However,this is not always possible for cities due to budget, size, or <br /> logistics. <br /> '�. <br /> League of Minnesota Cities infortnation Memo: 11/9/2015 <br /> Meetings of City Councils Page 21 <br />