Making buyout agreements public

A recent $255,000 buyout of Burnsville-Savage-Eagan Independent School District 191 human resource director raised the ire of residents. They have questions about the “why” behind the buyout that they cannot get answered.

At an ISD 191 school board listening session, attended by an overflow crowd, the board said they could not respond to questions because of the Minnesota Data Practices Act. In the future, terms of any similar buyout would be public information, under a bill sponsored by Rep. Pam Myhra (R-Burnsville).

“People want their questions answered … the school board wants to be transparent, but there are constraints in the law,” Myhra said during a March 12 House Data Practices Subcommittee meeting.

HF2647, as amended, would address buyout and settlement agreements of certain employees making the reasons for the agreement public information.

Don Gemberling, of the Minnesota Coalition of Government Information, pushed for strengthening the language. He wanted to tighten loopholes to prevent lawyers from finding “new ways” to interpret the law.

“I am always amazed at the creativity of government lawyers,” he said.

The bill moved out of the House Civil Law Committee March 14. It now awaits action by the full House.

SF2409, the companion, is sponsored by Sen. Dan Hall (R-Burnsville). It awaits action in the Senate Education Committee.