justiceTHUMBGRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP Aug 30. 2013) – North Dakota’s attorney general says the Griggs County Commission violated the state’s open meetings and records laws.
 
     Wayne Stenehjem says the violation happened when the panel failed to provide public notice of a Feb. 12 community forum over a planned $3.5 million courthouse and emergency operations center.
 
     A  campaign to recall all five commissioners was launched after they moved ahead with the project, despite voters rejecting three different building proposals in separate elections.
 
     The open meetings and open records complaints were filed by John Wakefield, a Cooperstown resident and a recall effort leader.
 
     Stenehjem ordered the commission to draft minutes of the Feb. 12 meeting and provide them to Wakefield, free of charge, within seven days.
 
     County commissioners face recall on Oct 8.