Annual Meeting

The most notable feature of town government is the town meeting. Because the town residents have direct input into the operation of the town through the town meeting, town government is closer to a pure democracy than any other established form of government in Minnesota.  Each town is required to hold an annual town meeting the second Tuesday in March. Minn. Stat. 365.51. The time for the annual meeting is set at the previous annual town meeting. If the meeting must be cancelled due to inclement weather, it is re-scheduled for the third Tuesday in March. What is unique about the annual town meeting is that it is the people's meeting. The town residents literally run the meeting through a moderator selected from among those present. Minn. Stat, 365.56. While an agenda is developed before the meeting by the Town Board with certain items of business that must be decided, the residents have the opportunity to raise any other item of town business to the floor for discussion and possible action. Whether the town board is legally bound by the decisions at the annual town meeting depends on the issue being decided.