Q: Can a township require a citizen to pay money to be heard at a township meeting?
My brother has 10 chickens on an acreage outside of city limits in rural Minnesota. Although he has had them since 2019, a "township inspector" recently visited his property and told him that the township only allows 5 chickens unless he has a permit. He had no problem with applying for the permit, and asked the township representative what he needed to do. He was told that the permit needed to be approved by the township board at a public meeting. When he asked to be included on the agenda for the next township meeting, he was told that they will only hear his application in a "special meeting" and that he would need to pay the board $400 to hold the special meeting. He recently attended the township meeting and they couldn't explain WHY it was necessary to hold a "special meeting" or why it was impossible for him to get on the agenda of a local government organization unless he paid them to be heard. They simply told him he could not get a permit without paying them for a meeting
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A:
A township generally cannot require you to pay money just to be heard at a public meeting, as public meetings are supposed to be open and accessible to residents. Local governments, like township boards, are typically required to follow state laws about transparency and public participation. If your brother is being told he has to pay $400 just to get his issue on the agenda, that may be unreasonable or against the law.
Your brother could look into Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law, which is meant to ensure that township meetings are open to the public and that citizens have the right to participate without unnecessary financial barriers. Asking for clarification on why a “special meeting” is needed, or why he can't be heard during a regular meeting, might help expose whether the township’s demand is fair or legal.
If the township is not providing clear reasons, your brother may want to contact a legal professional or the Minnesota Attorney General's Office for further advice. It might also be helpful to attend more meetings, record communications, and ensure all requests and decisions are documented in writing.
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