Members vote to convene closed meeting under Virginia Code to discuss personnel, property and contract matters

Members present at a county meeting voted unanimously to convene a closed meeting under Virginia Code §2.2-3711 to discuss personnel evaluations, the acquisition of real property and the award of a public contract.

A board member moved, “I’ll move to this board convening closed meeting pursuant to Virginia code section 2.2‑3711(A)(1) to discuss and consider the following personnel matters, personnel evaluation, and pursuant to the Virginia code section 2.2‑3711(A)(3) discussion of the acquisition of real property for public purpose or discussion in open meeting will adversely affect the board's bargaining position or negotiation strategy, and pursuant to Virginia code section 2.2‑3711(A)(30) to discuss the award of a public contract involving the expenditure of public funds…” The presiding officer seconded the motion. The presiding officer then called the roll; the members called were recorded as voting “aye.”

The agenda for the meeting had been approved earlier in the regular session after a motion to approve the agenda and a roll call vote.

The motion named the specific statutory exemptions the members relied on to justify closing the meeting to the public: personnel matters and evaluations; acquisition of real property where open discussion would harm bargaining or negotiation strategy; and discussion of the award of a public contract. No substantive discussion of those topics occurred in open session in the transcript; the motion moved the meeting into closed session to address them.

The transcript does not specify the governing body’s formal name, the identities or titles of the members who made or seconded the motion, or any details about the personnel matter, the property under consideration, or the contract being discussed. The meeting minutes or a subsequent public report would be the place to look for any disclosures the body is required to make after returning to open session under Virginia law.