Some records, such as on-going police investigation files, some material in personnel records and similar records which contain information not for public consumption, are not open to the public. Further, individual councilmembers have no greater right to inspect municipal records than do any other members of the public. Relationships with Boards Not all municipal services are provided by the municipality itself. Many are provided by municipal boards. Some of these boards are separately incorporated, while others are not.
Municipalities have the authority to create a broad range of boards to control particular functions.
Perhaps utility boards provide the most common example. Boards are usually created when the governing body takes on the duty of performing so many functions that its needs to give the responsibility to another entity so that it can adequately provide for the other needs of the citizens. Once a board is created, its powers are specified by the statute under which it was organized. The council may not change the duties of the board from those set out in the statute. Nor can a council create boards that are not authorized by the legislature.