Mayor deletes budget post

Moorhead Mayor Shelly Carlson posted details of the city's 2027 budget on Facebook, including criticism of a council member's golf course funding proposal, then removed it.

Post criticized golf course subsidies

Council Member Deb White had proposed ending city subsidies for golf courses to cut costs. Carlson disagreed, arguing parks and recreation are essential to Moorhead's appeal.

“parks, trails, golf courses, recreation facilities, and other amenities are part of what makes Moorhead a place where people choose to live, raise families, spend time together, and build community.”

Mayor cites open meeting law

Carlson said she deleted the post to avoid violating Minnesota's Open Meeting Law, which restricts how officials discuss city business outside formal meetings.

“It was not due to anything I stated in the post. It was because I needed to be mindful of Minnesota's Open Meeting Law.”

Social media discussion risks

Carlson warned that when multiple council members discuss city business on social media, even one more joining could create a legal problem, so she removed the post.

“Rather than risk turning a Facebook post into a Council discussion, I removed it.”

New questions about records

The deletion has raised questions from residents about how Minnesota's open meeting and records rules apply to social media and whether deleted posts about public business should be preserved.