City Council Meeting Date: April 15, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Lynette Peterson, City Clerk
Title
Consider Rules of Business Amendment Request Recommended by the Mayors Youth Council.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council is asked to consider a resolution amending the City Council Rules of Business related to requiring those wishing to speak at a public meeting to disclose their address.
Summary Report:
At their February meeting, the Mayor's Youth Council (MYC) discussed the requirement for speakers who speak at the open public comment portion of the agenda of public meetings to disclose their address. The MYC sent a letter to the City Council (attachment 3) on February 20, 2025 requesting the City Council reconsider this process.
In the letter received from the MYC, they stated concerns about the legality of the practice as individuals in the Safe at Home Program have their addresses protected by Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 5B and Minnesota Rules, Chapter 8290. In consulting with the City Attorney, the City must comply with that law if it is asserted, but it is otherwise not a law violation to request this data. This is a policy issue if the Council wants to change its practice and that a participant in the Safe at Home program has an alternate address they can provide.
A draft copy of the Rules of Business is attached to reflect the change requested by the MYC (attachment 2). A sentence was added to the sections deleting the need to list an address reflecting the following: Persons may include their address and contact information on the card if they have a question and wish to be contacted back.
Elizabeth McCormick, a member of the Mayor's Youth Council, will be in attendance to present regarding their concerns.
City Clerk Peterson researched if other comparable cities require residents to disclose their address when speaking during open public comment. 13 of the 14 cities polled responded stati...
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