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Council enters executive session, votes to include solicitor and restarts city manager recruitment after tie‑breaking vote
Summary
Milford City Council voted to enter executive session to discuss the city manager review and search process, later voted 5–3 to allow the city solicitor to attend parts of the executive session, and approved restarting the manager recruitment after a tie was broken by the mayor’s deciding vote.
Following the workshop, Milford City Council convened a special meeting and voted to enter executive session to discuss the city manager review and search process.
Motion to go into executive session A motion to move into executive session to discuss the city manager review and search process was made, seconded and approved by voice vote; the chair called the motion with no recorded opposition.
Motion on solicitor attendance A subsequent motion asked that the city solicitor (Solicitor Rut) be present for parts of the executive session. Council members took an individual roll-call on that motion; the motion passed 5–3. Those opposed said parts of the discussion would concern the solicitor’s service to the city and therefore could require candid council-only discussion.
Attempts to delay and to restart the recruitment A motion to postpone the interview process until a full fact-finding session was held failed for lack of a second. Council then considered a motion to restart the city manager recruitment with a new recruiter. That motion was seconded and initially produced a 4–4 tie among council members; the mayor provided a deciding vote in favor, and the motion to restart the search passed.
Why it matters: the votes determine immediate next steps in the city manager search process and set who will be present for closed-door deliberations. Council members who opposed solicitor attendance cited the need for some private, intra-council discussion; supporters said legal guidance was necessary during a personnel and process review.
What council directed - Council approved going into executive session and directed staff to follow the council’s instructions for the closed session. - Council approved restarting the city manager recruitment process and asked staff to proceed with a search using a new recruiter (details and timeline to follow from staff). The mayor cast the deciding vote on that motion.
Ending note: Council did not adopt a formal timeline on the record; staff were asked to bring the process forward in line with council direction and to report back with firm dates and administrative next steps.
