LaSalle County Salary and Labor Committee approves remote attendance, moves into executive session on collective bargaining

LaSalle County’s Salary and Labor Committee on Jan. 13, 2025, unanimously approved a request for remote attendance and then voted to go into executive session to discuss collective bargaining under state law.

Committee members began with roll call; no members of the public were present for citizen comments and the committee chair noted there were no citizen remarks. A WebEx participant identified as Ina told the panel she was “babysitting right now” and said that met one of the criteria for remote attendance. Committee members approved remote attendance by voice vote, with committee members Tom Walsh, Joe Osipinski, Don Jensen and Steve Aubrey indicating “aye.” The committee also recorded that there were no minutes available from the previous meeting to approve.

After that, a motion was made to enter executive session under 5 ILCS 120/2(c), the Illinois Open Meetings Act provision covering collective bargaining matters. Don Jensen moved to go into executive session, Tom Walsh seconded, and the committee took a roll-call vote: Tom Walsh, Joe Osipinski, Don Jensen and Steve Aubrey each voted “aye,” and the committee recessed into executive session.

No final actions or votes on bargaining items were recorded in the public transcript. The meeting transcript records only the committee’s approval to allow remote attendance and the formal vote to enter executive session for collective bargaining; it does not include any substantive discussion of bargaining positions or outcomes.