According to the Star Tribune, one of the new laws requires government officials to electronically record closed meetings unless prohibited by attorney-client privilege. Government entities that willfully violate the state data practices act face a penalty up to $15,000.
In the past, Breckenridge officials have only closed city meetings in the event of personnel issues. Meeting minutes are generally jotted down by hand and later typed.
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During port authority meetings, Barth said the board closed sessions only if someone planned to move to Breckenridge with a new business and didn't want others to know.
For Wilkin County Commission meetings, the reasons are similar.
"We do tape closed meetings when it comes to contract negotiations," said Wilkin County Auditor Wayne Bezenek. Personnel issues would also close a meeting, but the county did not electronically record these sessions.
The law has maintained that any data discussed at an open meeting retain its original classification, but a record of the meeting, no matter the form, should be made public. In the event of a closed, but recorded meeting, certain data can still be classified as confidential.
City Attorney Tim Fox thinks the new law is a good reminder for officials to keep their conversation on point.
"I don't think it's a bad thing at all," said City Attorney Tim Fox. "Mostly, it's to further protection so they can't be accused of doing something that would be in violation of the open meeting law."
The recordings have to be preserved for at least three years, and a judge can award attorneys' fees in a case where a government body violated the law.
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