Agenda - Council - 01/08/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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leaElue December 14, 1979 TO' FROM' RE' of minnesota All member city clerks, administrators and managers. Duke Addicks, League Legislative Counsel Minnesota Government Data Practices Act cities Effective January 1,1980 all government data (whether or not it pertains to individuals) collected, created, received,maintained, or disseminated by any city is public unless classified by a state statute, temporary classification of the Department of Administration or a federal law as not public, or (with respect to data on individuals) as private or confidential. After January 1, many cities will be receiving requests from erriployees, newspaper reporters, and members of the public, for information. Each city would be well advised to adopt procedures for handling these requests, and in fact each city is required by law to adopt procedures. Enclosed is the League memo entitled "Complying with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act." This memo consists of a brief summary of the cities responsibilities (clerks, administrators and managers should read the enclosed text of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and become familiar with it); a model resolution appointing the Responsible Authority for the city who will have the privilege of administering this act; and a model public document containing the procedures to be adopted by the Responsible Authority to administer the act. The Responsible Authority must be a named individual, and probably should be the clerk, administrator, or manager, or a person directly reportable to one of these three positions. The Responsible Authority may appoint designees to assist in the administration of the act. Also accompariying the memo as an Appendix is the full text of the Minnesota Government Practices Act as it is after the 1979 session. Because the legislature has changed this act every year since it was first adopted, I do expect the legislature in 1980 and future years to make changes in it. After each session, the League will attempt to advise every member city of these changes and also of changes to be made in the resolution appointing t. he Responsible Authority and in the public document a- dopted by the Responsible Authority. Larger cities may wish to expand on the public document, especially if the city has obtained tem- porary classifications of data other than that classified by federal law or state statute. Care should be taken in making any changes in the resolution and public document because they are drafted to comply strictly with the act and little flexibility is permissible. Before any changes are made, either the League of Minnesota Cities or your own city attorney should be consulted. OVER DA:gib 300 hanover building. 480 cedar street, saint paul. minnesota 55101 (612) 222-2E)51