Closed meeting nixed by challenge from Steele County Times

A challenge to the Blooming Prairie City Council’s plan to close a meeting for the purpose of discussing labor negotiations in connection with the hiring of a city administrator caused the council to delay action on the hiring until May 1.

However, since Monday night’s meeting, the city has called for a special meeting on Tuesday, April 18 at 5 p.m. The agenda indicates the meeting will be closed to discuss contract negotiations with the council’s top pick for city administrator.

At Monday’s meeting, Howard Lestrud, freelance writer for the Steele County Times and a veteran Minnesota journalist for nearly six decades, objected to the city council’s decision to close the regular meeting and go into closed session to discuss labor negotiations.

Lestrud emphasized that the council would be breaking the law if it went into a special closed session. He indicated he would not leave the council chambers.

All council members were in agreement to close the meeting. Most of the council members directed their frustration over the matter at Lestrud, saying this matter should have been brought up sooner.

Lestrud said he did not know about the proposed closed meeting until late Monday afternoon.

Council member Greg Johnson displayed anger in saying the council had a “crucial decision” to make in hiring the new city administrator. “Now this decision is delayed,” he said.

Lestrud suggested that the city authorize City attorney Jason Iacavino to meet with the Minnesota Newspaper Association attorney Mark Anfinson to further clarify the law. It was said in further discussion Iacavino did not need council authorization.

As Lestrud and council members argued about the newspaper’s contention that council would be breaking the law if it held a closed meeting, interim city administrator Terri Zwiener called Blooming Prairie Police to make an appearance at the council meeting.

Officer Travis Belich responded to the city council request to monitor the situation. He stayed until Lestrud and others left the building.

Lestrud said he has never had the police called on him during any public meeting over his 60-year journalistic career.

A couple members of the council were visibly angry.

"I think this has been a travesty for the community of Blooming Prairie," said Bill Newman, "having you come and announce your opinions on this at this late of a time. I believe it's irresponsible of your newspaper to come with that— you could have warned us ahead of time— because this could possibly jeopardize a fine employee that we have."

"Wow. That's all I have to say," said Johnson.

Lestrud played a key role a few years ago in challenging the city when it violated the open meeting law while reviewing the police chief’s performance. Anfinson was involved in resolving the issue with the city.

A long-time first amendment proponent, Anfinson had informed Lestrud prior to Monday’s meeting that labor negotiations refers only to union negotiations and not executive level positions like city administrators. Anfinson is widely considered an expert on open meeting laws in Minnesota. In fact, he has helped craft many of the laws during his more than 40 years serving Minnesota media organizations.