Council holds closed session on personnel, Hopewell housing authority appointments and later certifies meeting

Council convened a closed meeting under Virginia Code authority to discuss personnel matters, board and commission appointees and matters related to the Hopewell redevelopment housing authority. The mayor moved to enter the closed session under the applicable Virginia code subsection, with the city attorney’s suggested addition (consultation with legal counsel) noted on the record. The motion to enter closed session was moved by Councilor Harris and seconded by Councilor Ellis and was approved by roll call, recorded in the transcript as 6‑0.

After the closed session the council voted to reconvene in open session; the motion to come out of closed session was made by Councilor Day and seconded by Vice Mayor Joiner. The transcript records a roll‑call outcome reported as 5‑0 in the motion to come out and then, during the subsequent certification, the council recorded votes that cumulatively certified the closed meeting under Virginia Code section 2.2‑3712(d) as discussing only matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements. The certification vote was recorded as 6‑0.

The closed session motion listed the topics on the record as: personnel matters including board and commission appointees, Hopewell redevelopment housing authority appointments, assignment and performance of specific appointees, city council employee attrition and retirement. The meeting did not disclose additional details about specific appointees, personnel decisions or legal advice in open session; no final appointment names or personnel actions were read into the public record during the open portion of the meeting.

Mayor Barton led the roll calls for the closed session motions and the certification. Council members formally certified compliance with the statutory requirements on the record after returning to open session.