Cottage Grove trustees vote to enter closed session to discuss police union bargaining strategy

Trustees for the Village of Cottage Grove voted Monday to enter a closed session to discuss negotiating strategy with the village’s labor attorney related to police union bargaining agreements. The presiding officer made the motion, saying, “I’ll make the motion that the Village of Cottage Grove Village Board enter into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin State statute 19.85,” and described the purpose as conferring with legal counsel on negotiation and litigation strategy. Trustee Severson seconded the motion. A roll call vote recorded Trustee Benzo, Trustee Dole, Trustee Kel Nelson, Trustee Murphy, Trustee Severson and Trustee Stoa all voting “aye.” The board halted the Zoom livestream and asked members of the public in the room to step out; the presiding officer said the trustees anticipated reconvening at about 6:30 p.m. after the closed session. The motion and roll call were taken at the start of the meeting; the board did not discuss the substance of bargaining or any specific proposals in the public session. The board cited Wisconsin Statute 19.85 as the legal basis for closing the meeting. The statute allows certain governmental bodies to meet in closed session to consult with legal counsel and to deliberate or negotiate public business when competitive or bargaining reasons require privacy. No further actions or decisions about the bargaining agreements were announced in the public record during this portion of the meeting. The Village of Cottage Grove Village Board of Trustees convened the meeting at 5:31 p.m. at Village Hall and on Zoom; the closed-session motion was made shortly thereafter. The board did not provide additional public details about the topics to be discussed inside the closed session or any timeline for public reporting after reconvening.