Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Governance Transparency topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Caledonia board asks staff to study NDA policy after resident questions about Microsoft; fee schedule forwarded to Village Board
Summary
Following public questions about whether village officials knew an anonymous client was Microsoft, trustees directed staff to study a nondisclosure‑agreement policy and forwarded the 2026 fee schedule to the Village Board; staff said no NDAs had been signed by village officials.
Trustees on the Village of Caledonia Committee of the Whole voted to direct staff to research a nondisclosure‑agreement (NDA) policy and whether the village should require outside agencies doing work with the village to disclose the existence (not contents) of any NDAs.
The motion followed public comment by resident Chris Atkinson, who asked whether anyone in village government knew the identity of an “anonymous client” and whether that client was Microsoft prior to a recent public announcement. "I'm curious who from the village, including employees, knew who the anonymous client was and if they knew it was Microsoft prior to the Tuesday announcement," Atkinson said.
Village staff member Elaine responded during the meeting that no Caledonia staff members or officials had entered into nondisclosure agreements related to the Microsoft project. "No Caledonia staff members or officials entered into a nondisclosure agreement," Elaine said, adding she has worked with the village for 25 years and was not aware of prior NDAs by staff or officials.
Trustees debated whether the village could or should require partner agencies to disclose the existence of NDAs without compelling disclosure of their terms. Elaine said it may be possible to examine whether a disclosure requirement would be appropriate but cautioned that some external agencies may be contractually prohibited from revealing they have entered an NDA.
The board approved the motion directing staff to study the efficacy and desirability of a village NDA policy and to report back with recommendations; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
Separately, trustees moved Resolution 2025‑XXX (the proposed 2026 village fee schedule) to the Village Board for final approval; that motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
Other routine items approved by voice vote included multiple prior meeting minutes. Trustees asked staff for a future brief on record‑retention and village email compliance.
Next steps: staff will research NDA‑policy options and discloseability mechanics, consult legal counsel, and return to the board with recommendations; the fee schedule proceeds to the Village Board for action.
