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Minn.Stat.§410.12,subd.7. • Adoption of a charter amendment by ordinance. There are other situations that may require public hearings. Contact the League for further information if you are unsure about a particular situation. Part III. The open meeting law Minn.Stat.§13D.01. The Minnesota open meeting law generally requires that all meetings of public bodies be open to the public.However,there are some limited exceptions under which some meetings may be closed. This presumption of openness serves three basic purposes: Rupp Y.Mayasich,533 N.W.2d . To prohibit actions from being taken at a secret meeting where it is 893(Minn.App.1995). impossible for the interested public to become fully informed concerning decisions of public bodies or detect improper influences. • To ensure the public's right to be informed. • To afford the public an opportunity to present its views to the public body. See Part Ili-E-Notice The open meeting law also contains some specific notice and record-keeping requirements;and Part v-B- requirements,which are discussed in detail in later sections of this document. Required contents. A. Groups to which the law applies Minn.Stat.§13D.01,subd.1. The open meeting law applies to all governing bodies of any school district, unorganized territory,county,city,town or other public body,and to any 1 committee,sub-committee,board,department or commission thereof. Thus,the law applies to meetings of all city councils,planning commissions, advisory boards,firefighter relief associations,economic development authorities,and housing redevelopment authorities, among others. Southern Minnesota Municipal The Minnesota Supreme Court has held,however,that the governing body of Power Agency v.Boyne,578 a municipal power agency,created under Minn. Stat. §§453.51-453.62,is not N.W.2d 362(Minn.1998). subject to the open meeting law because the Minnesota Legislature granted these agencies authority to conduct their affairs as private corporations. B. What is a meeting? There is no statutory definition of the term"meeting"for the purpose of the open meeting law.Minnesota courts have generally ruled that a meeting is a gathering of a quorum of public officials to discuss,decide or receive information on matters over which they have authority. 12 League of Minnesota Cities