Columbus County commissioners return to open session after closed discussion of eight matters; no action taken

The Columbus County Board of Commissioners returned to regular session after a brief closed session during which, the county attorney said, commissioners discussed eight matters — five attorney-client privilege matters, two real-estate matters and one economic development matter — and took no action.

A motion to recess the closed session and enter regular session was made by Commissioner Floyd and seconded by Commissioner Smith; the chair called the motion passed and the board resumed open session. After the return, the county attorney reported: "The board just says 5 matters of attorney client privilege, 2 matters concerning real estate, 1 matter concerning economic development, and the board took no action." The attorney's exact wording appears in the meeting record.

Later in the same brief sequence, Commissioner Byrd moved that "it be approved as presented," a motion seconded by Commissioner Watts; the board approved the motion. The meeting transcript does not specify what document or item was being approved by that motion.

The commissioners then recessed for about five minutes and said they would restart at 6:30 p.m., according to the meeting record.

All substantive items referenced in the closed session were described only at a categorical level in the public record (attorney-client privilege matters, real-estate matters and an economic development matter). The transcript shows no formal votes or actions taken on the substance of those matters during the closed session.