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Waynesboro council holds closed session on Oakman Land Company litigation, certifies meeting
Summary
Council recessed into a closed session to consult with counsel and receive a briefing regarding litigation involving Oakman Land Company, then returned to open session and certified the closed session by unanimous roll call.
Waynesboro City Council moved into a closed session at Wednesday’s meeting to consult with the city attorney and be briefed on litigation and related negotiations concerning Oakman Land Company.
A council member moved that the council recess into closed session under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act provisions permitting consultation with counsel and briefing on litigation. The council recessed, later returned to open session and adopted a certification resolution stating that, to each member's knowledge, only matters lawfully exempted from open meetings were discussed and that those matters were restricted to the subjects identified in the motion.
The certification resolution passed by roll call; individual roll-call votes were recorded as "Aye." The council did not disclose details of the litigation or any deliberations held in closed session.
Why it matters
Closed sessions for legal consultation are routine when public discussion could harm the city’s negotiating or litigating posture. The council certified the closed session under the statutory authorization cited on the record.
