How is my privacy protected if I serve on a board or commission?
- The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act defines public and private information for applicants for appointment to boards and commissions.
- The application form contains a notice stating what is public and private data.
- Public information for applicants: Name, Date, Ward, Application for Appointment to (Enter Title of Board, Commission, Committee or Task Force), Background related to any required or desirable qualifications listed in the Volunteer Opportunity Notice (Education, and Training, Employment History, Volunteer Work, Awards and Honors, Prior Government Service.)
- Once appointed to a board or commission, the following additional items from the application become public: residential address, either a telephone number or e-mail address where the appointee can be reached.
- The appointing body can see the entire application. The complete, un-redacted application forms can be given to those with administrative, interviewing, recommendation, and appointing responsibility. For example, Clerk’s Office, department personnel who staff the board or commission, the interview committee, the City Council committee and the Council and Mayor.
- The public can see only a redacted version. In order to comply with the open meeting law, a redacted version of the application must be available to the public because the application is a record of the open meeting of the committee considering the appointment.
Last updated Sep. 27, 2011