Madison school board enters closed session to discuss wage bargaining strategy

At a special meeting, the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education voted to enter a closed session to consider negotiation strategy related to wages for all MMSD bargaining units, citing Wisconsin Statute 19.85(c).

The presiding officer moved, “I move that the board of education go into closed session for the purpose of ... considering negotiation strategy regarding collective bargaining based wages for all MMSD bargaining units pursuant to Wisconsin state statute sections 19.85 c,” and the motion was seconded by Board Member Van Wielen.

The motion included alternative language that the closed session was being held “for the purpose of considering employment, promotion, compensation, or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility.” The board took a voice vote; Vice President Pearson, Board Member Muldrow, Board Member Sarawel, Board Member Moser Feltham and Board Member Castro were recorded as voting “aye.”

The transcript records only the motion, the statutory citation, the second and the roll of aye votes; no substantive bargaining positions or wage figures were discussed in the public portion of the meeting. Under the statute cited, the board’s discussion of negotiation strategy will occur in closed session and is not part of the public record.

No timetable for concluding the closed session or returning to open session was stated in the portions of the meeting captured in the transcript. The motion and vote in this meeting authorized the board to discuss collective bargaining strategy behind closed doors; any formal agreements, tentative or final, would be expected to return to public meetings for ratification or formal action if required by district process.