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25. The Minnesota Supreme Court has stated: 'There is no settled general rule as to whether [a direct personal] interest will disqualify an official" from participating in public proceedings in a decision - making capacity. Lenz v. Coon Creek Watershed District, 278 Minn. 1, 153 N.W.2d 209, 219 (1976) (footnote omitted). According to the court, "Each case must be decided on the basis of the particular facts present." Lenz, 278 Minn 1, 153 N.W.2d at 219. 26. Cf. 16 C.F.R. § 5.8(d) (1990) (personal financial interests are insubstantial financial conflicts and excepted from federal conflict of interest laws if the personal financial interests are "too remote or too inconsequential to affect the integrity of an employee's services "). 27. Minn. Stat. § 10A.01, subd. 4 (1990). The statutory provisions are more restrictive than previously defined conflict rules. Cf. Op. Att'y Gen. No. 90E -5 (Nov. 13, 1969) (the attorney general concluded a city could contract with an architectural firm which employed a city council member as a salaried employee if the city determined there were no personal financial interests); Op. Att'y Gen. No. 90a -1 (Oct. 7, 1976) (a city council must determine whether city council members who were employed by city contractors had a prohibited interest in city contracts with the contractors). 28. Minn. Stat. § 10A.01, subd. 4 (1990). See also Minn. R. 415.0300 (1991) defining the application of the statutory conflict of interest provisions). 29. Northern States Power Co. v. Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, 414 N.W.2d 383 (Minn. 1987). The supreme court observed: It would be difficult to deny that [the commissioner's] participation in the [rate case] decision could likely affect his direct or indirect financial interests in the utility by which he would soon be employed. The legislature has addressed the action necessary once a conflict arises. A written statement disclosing and identifying the existing or potential conflict must be filed and one must remove oneself from participating in the pending proceeding. Northern States Power Co., 414 N.W.2d at 386 (emphases added). Cf. Op. Att'y Gen. No. 90e -1 (May 12, 1976) (a conflict of interest would exist if the city were to lease city-built office space to a corporation whose shareholders included a member of the city council). 30. See Op. Att'y Gen. No. 59a -32 (Sept. 11, 1978). Cf. Metropolitan Council Contract Policy and Procedures § 3.33 (Dec. 15, 1988) (individuals who develop specifications for Council RFPs or contracts generally cannot be awarded contracts covered by those specifications). 31. See Op. Att'y Gen. No. 90e -5 (May 25, 1966) (the law prohibited a municipal hospital board from purchasing goods and services from a firm in which a board member was financially interested, but "[t]he relationship of husband and wife does not in itself result in a finding of the prohibited financial interest "). 32. See Minn. Stat. § 10A.07, subd. 1 (1990). 33. Minn. Stat. § 10A.07, subd. 1(1) (1990).