Workshop Item Cathy Sorensen, City Clerk/Ben Hayle, Communications Manager
Title
Title
Public Meetings: Council, Boards, and Commissions/Open Meeting Law
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Background
The state-wide mask mandate was lifted on May 14 as the state continues to make strides to safely end COVID-19 restrictions based on guidance by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Minnesota Department of Health. By May 28 the remaining capacity and distancing restrictions are scheduled to end, but the governor’s executive order still requires that plans be in place keep the public and employees safe. To that end, staff would like to review current public meeting procedures and discuss some recommendations going forward with regard to public meeting structure for city council, boards, and commissions.
• Current hybrid meetings were a result of a mayoral declaration that full in-person meetings were not practical or prudent for all public meetings until further notice or until such time as the state determines to no longer be in a peacetime emergency
• Should council wish to cease hybrid meetings a mayoral declaration announcing the change should occur
o changes to meetings need to be well in advance to accommodate public meeting notices
o changes will be clear as to what bodies the declaration pertains to and would pertain to boards/commissions as well
o Roll call votes on all items only required if a member attends virtually
o Screening/physical distancing/plexi on dais recommended to continue with changes possible going forward as CDC/MDH recommendations occur
o In order to provide sufficient distancing for members of public workshops are recommended to remain in chambers so overflow viewing can be accommodated in Clover Leaf Farms Rooms
§ closed sessions could be moved to Sanctuary
• Open meeting law (OML) medical exception
o changes were signed into law May 6 stating an elected official is not required to make their remote location “open and accessible to the public” when:
(1) an elected official has been advised by a health care professional that they should not be in a public place for personal or family medical reasons
(2) a state of emergency has been declared under state statute
(3) for 60 days after the removal of the declared emergency
o only allowed three times in a calendar year
o session law (which means this only applies to COVID-19 pandemic) removed the cap for the medical exception between January 1, 2021 to July 1, 2021.
• Should remote public participation option continue
o continuing remote public participation comes at a cost
staff resources, webinar licensing, efficiency of meetings, flexibility
o public, as always, will able to watch council meetings via cable/website
o remote meeting participation has decreased in recent months
o could offer livestream of workshops as well
o pre-meeting public comment procedures currently in place will continue - email/telephone/staff
o can continue to offer presenters Zoom meeting option
• Local emergency could be declared again should in-person meetings be not feasible again in the future
Staff Recommendation
Staff is asking for council input on public meeting procedures.
Attachment List
Mayoral declaration