BENEDICT, N.D. (AP) - Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem says a city council in north central North Dakota violated open meetings law by asking the public to leave while it discussed a contentious issue.
Stenehjem says the city council in Benedict violated the law when it asked the public to leave while it consulted with the city engineer about bids for a new city lift station.
The city says the lift station improvement project was controversial and wanted to avoid disruptive behavior.
Stenehjem says the public must have access to meetings of a governing body of a public entity but that it does not have the right to participate or speak at a public meeting.
The council must now create detailed minutes of the discussion that took place.