Everett School Committee votes 9-0 to enter executive session on litigation

The Everett School Committee voted unanimously on Monday, July 21, to enter an executive session to "discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation," citing Massachusetts law. The committee made the move at the start of a special meeting after the chair invoked the statutory exception for executive session; the committee also named Hyliani et al v. Everett School Committee et al as a subject of the closed discussion. No substantive business was conducted in open session before the committee moved into executive session. The roll call showed nine members present and voting in the affirmative. The motion to enter executive session was made by Mr. Barrows and seconded by Ms. Corniglio, and Chairwoman Hurley declared the executive session "pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30A, Section 21(a)(3)." The committee invited Superintendent Hart and attorneys Galvin, Beringer and Held to attend the closed session. The special meeting opened at 6:02 p.m.; after calling the roll and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, the committee proceeded directly to the executive-session item on the agenda. The superintendent read the executive-session item aloud and the motion passed on a roll-call vote with nine in the affirmative. Because the item was taken in executive session under the statutory exemption for strategy on litigation or collective bargaining, the meeting transcript does not include the substance of the committee's discussion. The public record in the transcript is limited to the motion, the statutory citation, the names of invited attendees and the roll-call vote. No vote on or discussion of any ordinance, contract, budget or policy in open session was recorded on the public transcript for this meeting.