Lakeville fire chief search committee approves old minutes, votes to enter executive session

The Town of Lakeville Fire Chief Search Committee on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 01:30 p.m., approved meeting minutes from Aug. 7, 2018, and voted to enter executive session under Massachusetts law to discuss matters exempt from open meeting disclosure.

Committee members approved the Aug. 7, 2018, meeting minutes after a motion and a second; the motion passed on a voice vote. A committee member then moved to enter executive session “pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws c. 30A, §21(a)(7)” and cited Mass. Gen. Laws c. 30A, §22(f) in connection with approval of executive-session minutes from Aug. 7, 2018. A committee member said, “We’re not gonna return to open session.”

A roll call was taken for the motion to enter executive session. Committee members Pull, Darling, Avalara, Mornise, Hollenbeck and Donthe were recorded as voting “Aye.” The committee clerk announced the result with “All those in favor? Aye.” The transcript does not record any “no” votes, abstentions or further discussion on the matters before the committee.

The committee’s stated legal basis for the executive session was Mass. Gen. Laws c. 30A, §21(a)(7), which permits executive sessions for certain types of hearings and strategy discussions related to collective bargaining or contract negotiations and personnel matters, and Mass. Gen. Laws c. 30A, §22(f) for approval of executive session minutes. The committee did not state a more specific personnel matter in the public record before entering executive session.

The meeting record notes that an attendee, Lee Cam, was taping the meeting. After the roll call and acceptance of the motion to enter executive session, committee members left the open session; the transcript ends with the committee entering executive session and not returning to public session.

The committee did not identify a mover or seconder by name for either motion in the portion of the transcript provided, and the transcript contains no additional discussion, substantive debate, or documents referenced on the public record prior to the executive session vote.

Minutes and votes recorded in public session: approval of the Aug. 7, 2018 minutes (motion and second; voice vote recorded as “Aye”); motion and second to enter executive session under Mass. Gen. Laws c. 30A, §21(a)(7) with approval of executive-session minutes pursuant to c. 30A, §22(f) (roll-call Ayes from Pull, Darling, Avalara, Mornise, Hollenbeck and Donthe).