The Hopkinton Town Council recessed into an executive session on Feb. 3, 2025, invoking Rhode Island General Laws §42-46-5(a)(1) to conduct interviews for the Historic District Commission and to discuss the job performance of the town clerk. The motion to recess passed by voice vote and the council later reconvened in open session and voted to seal the minutes of the closed session.

The motion to recess to executive session was made early in the meeting and seconded; council members recorded “aye” votes when polled. After the closed session, a motion to reconvene in open session was made and seconded; the roll call when the council returned recorded James, Davis and Roy as voting in the affirmative. The council then discussed whether to disclose any votes taken during the closed session and referred to the requirements of Rhode Island’s open-meeting statutes. The council moved to seal the executive-session minutes and the motion to seal carried on recorded aye votes from James, David and Roy, with Burns, Gary and others indicating assent when polled.

The council president stated that any votes taken in executive session would not be disclosed at that time in accordance with Rhode Island General Laws (cited orally during the meeting) and noted the statutory allowance for delayed disclosure where release would jeopardize negotiations, investigations, or strategy. The council then returned to the public agenda.