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Townships: Minnesota Statutes, Section 366.01, <br />1`"' subdivision 1, th ervisars of each town constitute <br />the town board. Two ervisors constitute a quonun at <br />a town board meeting s the town is operating under <br />"option A," which means it a five-member board of <br />supervisors. In the latter case, supervisors are <br />required to meet the quorum requir ent. <br />City councils: According to Minnesota S tes, <br />Section 412.191, the city council in a standar <br />city shall consist of an elected mayor, an elected c <br />and three or five elected council members (which <br />means these cities have either five or seven voting <br />members). In optional plan cities, the city council <br />consists of an elected mayor and four or siY elected <br />council members (which means these cities have <br />either five or seven voting members). In all staxutory <br />cities, the mayor is a voting member of the council <br />and must be counted when determining whethe <br />quorum is present. A majority of the voting bers <br />must be present to meet the quorum re ' ment. <br />Charter cities may provide that a di nt number of <br />council members constitutes a q . <br />Special boards: <br />� city, a majority c <br />in order to meet <br />iy the governing body of a <br />members must be present <br />Each year, there are numerous complaints from p i <br />owners who have taken time off from work — unpl <br />talcen their personal time — to attend a loc azd <br />meeting only to find that the meeting t take place <br />due to the lack of a quonun. <br />When a local board does n eet because a majority of <br />the members are not pr t, it sends a message to <br />property owners th e board does not value their time. <br />It also sends the ssage that the board does not take the <br />responsibili serving as the Local Board of Appeal <br />and Equ ation seriously. <br />role when a quorum isn't present <br />er than simply sending home angry and frusirated <br />pro owners, it is recommended that the format <br />change "open book" meeting with the assessor. <br />Property o rs can discuss their issues one-on-one <br />with the assess or the assessor's staff. If they are not <br />satisfied with the ome, they can appeal to the <br />County Board of App and Equalization. This assures <br />that the time property o. s set aside to appeal to the <br />local board is not wasted. <br />Arrive on time for the meeting <br />requirement. It is also very important that the board me s and <br />all required attendees (county assessor, local so <br />etc.) arrive at the meeting on time and that the mee <br />begins at the scheduled time. This shows respect for <br />the people who are appealing to the board, and also <br />shows that you value their time. <br />Explanations of alternate methods of appeal <br />Open book meetings <br />Open book meetings are an alternative to the Local <br />Board of Appeal and Equalization. During "open book" <br />meetings, the valuation and classification issues are <br />handled by the assessor's staff on a one-on-one basis <br />with the property owner. Typically, open book meetings <br />are held by the county assessor's staff. However, larger <br />cities with an appointed city assessor may hold their <br />� own open book meetings. <br />The open book meetings are held in locations that are <br />convenient for properiy owners. Often open book <br />meetings are held over several days during both day <br />and evening hours. This allows property owners to <br />appeal when it best suits their schedules instead of <br />having to rearrange their schedules to attend a local <br />board meeting held at one place and time. <br />Explanations of altemate methods of appeal m <br />