[Mpls] Open Meetings

[Tim Bonham]

About the Open Meeting Law:

Several years back, I was Treasurer of a Joint Campaign Committee of 4 
candidates for School Board.  We met about every week or two.  I remember 
being rather surprised when Judy Farmer pointed out that the final meeting 
I had scheduled might be subject to the Open Meeting Law -- it was after 
the election, and if all 4 candidates won, they would constitute a majority 
of the school board, and so the meeting must be open to the public.  I 
objected that we would not be talking schools business, just about the 
campaign, outstanding bills, etc.  But they told me that didn't matter, a 
majority of the members present made it an open meeting.

And all 4 candidates did in fact win, so we were not able to have this 
meeting!  Instead, I met with their campaign managers to finish up the 
campaign activity.

That was a nuisance to me, but I still think the Open Meeting Law is 
worthwhile.