East Side fight heads to state
A fight for transparency in local government over a controversial roadway has found its way to the state level.
The Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings has found probable cause that multiple violations may have occurred regarding Steele County’s handling of public information requests related to the East Side Corridor project in Owatonna.
A formal hearing is set for Friday at 10 a.m. in Room 40 at the Steele County Administration Building in Owatonna. The hearing is open to the public and will be presided over by a state administrative law judge.
The group representing Owatonna East Side Corridor residents is headed up by Matthew Sennott and Melissa Zimmerman. They filed a Data Practices Complaint in late May alleging that Steele County violated state law.
In an order issued by Christa L. Moseng, an administrative law judge for Minnesota, she ruled that probable cause exists to believe Steele County has committed violations of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. Specifically, she pointed out the reasons for her determination are that the county charged a fee for inspection of public data, in violation of state statute, in response to a data request from the group in October 2024.
Moseng also ruled that the county failed to establish a procedure to ensure that all requests for government data are received and complied with in an appropriate and prompt manner.
The claims will be handled during Friday’s full hearing by Moseng.
“As these proceedings continue, it is of the utmost importance that both parties engage with the Court, and one another, in good faith,” Moseng wrote in her order.
The judge dismissed some of the other requests of violations brought forth by the East Side group.
The county is being represented by a pair of attorneys from Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A., a law firm based in St. Paul. The East Side group is appearing pro se in the matter.
The East Side group has attempted to work with Steele County for the past few years on the proposed roadway on the east edge of Owatonna. The group claims it has faced a lack of transparency in decision-making from county officials throughout the process. “Data requests are how we hold our government accountable,” the group said.