Evanston City Council members sworn in and a full council quickly approved the meeting agenda and the bills before moving into an executive session to discuss appointments and personnel, council members said at the Jan. 7 meeting.

Councilmember Schmidt, newly sworn in at the meeting, thanked voters and said he was ready to serve. “I thank everyone that, who’s voted for me, and for the opportunity that I have to serve the city of Evanston,” Councilmember Schmidt said. The swearing-in was administered before the roll call so newly elected members could participate in votes later in the meeting.

The council confirmed that everyone was present and that a quorum existed before taking routine business. A motion to approve the meeting agenda was made and seconded, and the council voiced unanimous assent. The council then considered a warrant register dated Jan. 7; a motion to approve the bills was made, seconded, and carried with an affirmative voice vote.

Later on the agenda the council considered appointments and confirmation of department heads, the city attorney and the municipal judge. Councilmember Seggeman moved to hold an executive session for those personnel matters; another councilmember seconded the motion. A speaker who identified the governing body’s authority cited Wyoming statute 16-4-405(a)(ii) as permitting executive-session discussion of “the appointment, employment, right to practice, or dismissal of a public officer, professional person, or employee.” The motion to enter executive session carried.

No formal appointments, confirmations, or final personnel decisions were recorded in the public portion of the transcript. The council paused the public meeting to go into the closed executive session that the council said would address personnel matters and complaints or charges against employees or officers, as provided by the statute cited.

Councilmembers used the public-comments-and-council-comments portion of the meeting to welcome and congratulate the newly elected members, express New Year’s greetings and encourage community volunteerism. No policy votes or other substantive ordinance or budget actions were taken in the public portion of the record provided.