Research Q of the Week: So, What Are You Doing Presidents Day? (2/13)

Question: Presidents Day is Feb. 17, 2014.  Can we hold a city council meeting that day?

Answer:  Dust off the John Philip Sousa records, because “Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday” (as it is officially known in Minnesota) is a statutory holiday, and city officials will have a bit of free time that evening for such endeavors. In fact, Minnesota state law prohibits cities from conducting public business on statutory holidays except in case of necessity.

If you prefer to not be caught off guard by a statutory holiday like Presidents Day again, grab your calendars and make note of the following holidays when public business cannot be conducted except in case of necessity:

• New Year’s Day (Jan. 1, 2014)
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 20, 2014)
• Presidents Day (Feb. 17, 2014)
• Memorial Day (May 26, 2014)
• Independence Day (July 4, 2014)
• Labor Day (Sept. 1, 2014)
• Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11, 2014)
• Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27, 2014)
• Christmas Day (Dec. 25, 2014)

Cities have the option of determining whether Columbus Day (Oct. 13, 2014) and the Friday after Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 28, 2014) will be holidays. If a city determines that either Columbus Day or the Friday after Thanksgiving is a holiday, then no public business may be transacted on that day except in cases of necessity. Thankfully, the digestion of turkey sandwiches is not considered public business.

If you have any questions about scheduling city council meetings contact the LMC Research Department (research@lmc.org).  

This blog post conveys general information. It’s not legal advice. Please check with your city attorney before acting on this information.