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Minn. Stat. § 10A.01, subd. 11(a) (1998). The statutory definition of "lobbyist" excludes several classes of individuals including: public officials; employees of the State; elected local officials; and nonelected local officials or employees of political subdivisions acting in their official capacities, unless the nonelected local officials or employees of political subdivisions spend more than 50 hours in any month engaged in lobbying - related activities. Minn. Stat. § 10A.01, subd. 11(b) (1998). Minn. Stat. § 10A.071, subd. 3(a) (1998). The word "insignificant" has been commonly defined to mean: "Not significant, esp.: a. Lacking in importance; trivial. b. Small in size, power, or value. c. Lacking in meaning; meaningless." THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY 665 (2nd college ed. 1982). The word "unexceptional" commonly means: "1. Not varying from a norm; usual. 2. Not subject to exceptions; absolute." Id. at 1320. 6. Minn. Stat. § 10A.071, subd. 3(b) (1998). '' Minn. Stat. § 10A.34, subd. 1 (1998). "Unless otherwise provided, a violation of sections 10A.02 to 10A.34 is not a crime." Minn. Stat. § 10A.34, subd. 3 (1998). However, Chapter 10A authorizes the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board or a county attorney to "seek an injunction in the district court to enforce the provisions of sections 10A.02 to 10A.34." Minn. Stat. § 10A.34, subd. 2 (1998). 8. Code of Ethics for Metropolitan Council Members § 1 (adopted September 26, 1991). The term "nominal" has been commonly defined to mean: "Insignificantly small; trifling." THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY 845 (2nd college ed. 1982). 9. Minnesota Statutes section 10A.07, subdivision 1 states that public and local officials "shall" take certain actions if a conflict of interest exists. The Legislature's use of the term "shall" means compliance with the prescribed actions is mandatory. See Minn. Stat. § 645.44, subds. 15, 16 (1998) (the term "may" means "permissive"; the term "shall" means "mandatory"). 10 Minn. Stat. § 10A.07, subd. 1 (1998). ". If a public official has a potential conflict of interest but has no immediate superior, the official "shall abstain, if possible, in a manner prescribed by the [campaign fmance and public disclosure] board from influence over the action or decision in question. " Minn. Stat. § 10A.07, subd. 2 (1998). The administrative rules adopted by the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board suggest that a public official who has a potential conflict of interest should not "chair a meeting, participate in any vote, or offer any motion or discussion on the matter giving rise to the potential conflict of interest." Minn. R. pt. 4515.0500, subp. 1 (1997). See Northern States Power Co. v. Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, 414 N.W.2d 383, 386 (Minn. 1987) (a commissioner should have removed himself from participating in a pending Commission proceeding the results of which proceeding could likely affect the commissioner's direct or indirect fmancial interests in the utility by which he soon would be employed). 12. See Minn. Stat. § 10A.07, subd. 1 (1998) (referring to officials who are required to take an action or make a decision "in the discharge of official duties "). 13 ' Cf St. Cloud Newspapers, Inc. v. District 742 Community Sch., 332 N.W.2d 1, 6 (Minn. 1983) (the state's open meeting laws applies to "meetings" that involved matters "which could foreseeably require fmal action" by the governing body and meetings "at which information is received which may influence later decisions" by public bodies). 14 ' The term "substantially" generally means "materially" or "in a substantial manner." BLACK'S LAW DICTIONARY 1281 (5th ed. 1979). "`Substantial' as an adjective means something worthwhile as distinguished from something without value, or merely nominal. In its ordinary parlance 8