Council debates executive session attendance, votes to include parish attorney and directs attorney to confer with administration

Terrebonne Parish council members engaged in an extended discussion about who should attend an executive session regarding employee allegations and whether legal counsel should be present. After debate and a formal motion, the council voted 5–4 to include Parish Attorney Michelle Neal in the executive session. Following the closed session, the council unanimously (9–0) directed the parish attorney to confer with parish administration to suggest strategies addressing employee grievances.

Why it matters: executive sessions used to discuss personnel matters are subject to statutory and procedural rules that affect confidentiality, representation and the ability of council members to consult counsel about matters discussed in closed session.

Key points from the meeting: Mister Carl Harding placed an item on the agenda under Louisiana Revised Statutes allowing the council, with a two-thirds affirmative vote, to convene into executive session to discuss procedure, strategies and party investigations for employee allegations against another employee. Several council members then debated whether legal counsel should be present and who the council could or should allow into the closed session.

Council members cited Robert's Rules of Order during the discussion. One passage read aloud from Robert's Rules in the meeting indicated that the governing body (the board or committee) determines who may attend an executive session, and that limiting attendance can be effected by majority vote. Some members said they would not enter executive session without counsel present; others said the presiding body has discretion to call who should attend. A motion was made to include Parish Attorney Michelle Neal in the executive session. That motion, moved by Mister Clyde Hamner and seconded by Mister Danny Babin (as recorded), passed by a 5–4 vote.

After returning to regular order, the council recorded a motion directing the parish attorney to confer with parish administration to suggest strategies to address employee grievances. The motion text recorded in the transcript was that the parish attorney confer with the parish administration regarding proposed strategies to address employee grievances; that motion passed unanimously (9–0).

What was decided and what follows: the council resolved to include legal counsel in the executive session and separately instructed the parish attorney to work with administration on proposed strategies for handling employee grievances. The transcript indicates the council intended to sequence attendees in the executive session (naming specific council members who would enter in order) and that some members wanted private time with staff before inviting counsel in. The precise content of the executive session discussion was not disclosed in the public record.