Litchfield's City Council appears to be violating the Minnesota Data Practices Act over disclosure of the names of finalists for its administrator position.
The council should cease its non-disclosure and make the names of four administrator finalists to the public.
The facts are that the city's personnel committee determined the four finalists last week and scheduled finalist interviews at 5 and 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.
When the West Central Tribune requested the names of the finalists Monday, Mayor Vern Madson declined to release the names claiming he needed the finalists' permission and the council had to be informed.
The mayor's lack of disclosure is wrong and apparently violates the Minnesota Data Practices Act.
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Under the Minnesota Data Practices Act statute (Sec. 13.43. subd. 3), any applicant is considered a "finalist" once the individual is "selected to be interviewed."
Thus, all four individuals selected to be interviewed last week are considered "finalists" under the state statute.
The Benson School District followed the law by promptly naming its superindent finalists last week when they received a request.
Mayor Madson has said he would make the names available sometime Tuesday, but this delay likely violates state statute. Most importantly, the mayor's action is handicapping the citizens of Litchfield by not releasing the names of the finalists until the day before they are being interviewed.
How can interested citizens properly research the background of these four finalists one day before interviews begin?
The Litchfield City Council should have immediately released the names of the four finalists when their interviews were scheduled.
