Court Opinion

ID: 9848124
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:13:16.558092+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:18:02.965749
License: Public Domain

SIMONETT, Justice
(concurring specialty)-
Subdivision 2 of Minn.Stat. § 471.705 (1982) provides that on a third violation of the Open Meeting Law the violator forfeits both the right to continued tenure in office and the right to run again for that office for a period of time equal to the term of office such person was then serving. In other words, three violations, even if harmless and committed in good faith, if unrelated, result in a mandatory forfeiture of office. It was concern for this harsh result that, in large part, influenced the trial court to construe the statute strictly with respect to a notice requirement.
I agree with this court’s opinion but wish to add that I believe the forfeiture of office provision in the statute, particularly as this court has now construed the law, may be constitutionally infirm. See Pavlak v. Growe, 284 N.W.2d 174 (1979); Minn. Const. art. 7, § 6.