The Saint Clair County Board of Commissioners amended its July 17 agenda to remove a pending-litigation item and moved into closed session to discuss collective bargaining negotiation strategy before adjourning.
Why it matters: Deleting a litigation item from the open agenda and moving into closed session signals that legal counsel advised the matter would be addressed more appropriately outside open session; collective bargaining strategy discussions are a statutory reason for closed session.
What happened on the record
At the start of the meeting commissioners voted to delete agenda item 16a, listed as pending litigation in the Good Time lawsuit, at the request of legal counsel who said waiting would provide a better update. The board then voted to amend the agenda to reflect the deletion and later made and supported a motion to move into closed session “to discuss collective bargaining negotiation strategy and to adjourn immediately thereafter.” The chair called the roll for the closed-session motion and the motion carried.
Procedure and legal basis
Meeting minutes show the modification of the agenda and a statutory justification for closed session on collective bargaining strategy. The board recorded support for both the agenda amendment and the closed-session motion on the record before adjourning into closed session.
Speakers: Chairperson, commissioners and county legal counsel (on record through statements).