Council votes to censure member for disclosing executive session details, mayor reads formal reprimand

The Independence City Council on Aug. 26 voted to censure Councilor Dawn Groveson for disclosing information from a recent executive session, after a councilor moved that the member violated the council's confidentiality rules.
A councilor moved "to censure council Dawn Groveson for failing to adhere to the council's executive session confidentiality requirements as stipulated in the council rules." The motion was seconded, and the matter drew discussion from multiple council members and from the mayor.
The mayor noted that executive session confidentiality had been emphasized both before and during the executive session, saying that the reminder was repeated "inside executive session as a request of our attorney." The mayor characterized the censure as a formal statement that a line had been crossed and said the council must hold itself accountable to state law and council rules.
Councilor Dawn Groveson addressed the council during the item. She acknowledged a recent letter of education from an ethics body that asked her to amend her Statement of Economic Interest to include child support and disability income; she said she had amended the filing and expressed regret about any omission. Groveson also made personal remarks responding to the censure proceeding.
Councilor Quach said she would abstain on the censure vote because she was not present when the underlying disclosure occurred. Other councilors voted in favor of the censure; the mayor read a verbal censure statement that will be entered into the public record. The mayor's statement described the action as a formal reprimand for disclosure of confidential information and said the censure would be recorded in the council's official record.
Why it matters: Executive-session confidentiality is prescribed by state law and local rules; councilors said breaches can create legal and reputational risk. The council's censure is a formal, public statement of disapproval but is not a removal from office; it is a sanction recorded in the council record and may be followed by further ethics or legal processes outside the council.
The council discussed options including a verbal reprimand, a written reprimand, or further investigation. The mayor and staff noted that state ethics or records authorities could be avenues for additional review. The censure motion passed and the verbal censure was entered into the public record; no further punitive action was taken at the meeting.