City Council adjourns to closed session to evaluate city attorney, hold labor negotiations

The City Council moved into closed session to conduct a public employee performance evaluation and hold a conference with labor negotiators regarding the city attorney, council members announced during roll call.

The closed sessions were authorized under Government Code sections 54957(b) (public employee performance evaluations) and 54957.6 (labor negotiations), the council was told. The city attorney identified the specific subject of both closed-session items as the city attorney and said the city’s negotiating representatives would be Mayor Keith Blackburn and the mayor pro tem.

"We'll adjourn to closed session to have, have a public employee performance evaluation and also a conference with labor negotiators," the city attorney said. "The public employee who's being evaluated and who is the subject of the labor negotiations is the city attorney." The city attorney added that, "Because I am personally interested in the outcome of these matters, the city will be represented by Lisonbee Alpert of Best, Best & Krieger."

At the roll call immediately before the closed-session announcement, all five council members were present. Meeting organizers said there were no speakers on the closed-session items. The city attorney said that if there is any reportable action after the closed session, "that report out will occur in the regular meeting after, that begins at 5."

The transcript records the council taking the procedural step to adjourn into closed session; no formal votes on policy or personnel were reported in the public portion of the transcript. The council did not specify any additional details about the evaluation, the subject’s name beyond the generic title "city attorney," or bargaining positions during the public remarks.

If the council makes any reportable decisions after the closed session, officials said those items will be announced at the regular meeting that follows the closed session.