Minot City Council meets in executive session on Logistics Park prospect

The Minot City Council met in an executive session Wednesday, Aug. 13, to receive and discuss exempt commercial, financial and proprietary information concerning a prospective industrial development at the Logistics Park of North Dakota.

The council said the legal authority for closing the meeting was the North Dakota Century Code as cited by the presiding officer during the agenda announcement. A motion to hold the executive session was made by Alderman Pittner and seconded by Alderman Olsen; a roll-call vote on that motion recorded affirmative responses from Pittner, Janser and Olsen. The council then relocated to the City Council Conference Room adjoining council chambers for the closed discussion.

The executive session began at 4:02 p.m., according to the minutes, and was recorded. The council returned to open session at 4:53 p.m. After reconvening the open meeting the presiding officer stated there was “no potential action” required at that time. The council then moved, seconded and approved a motion to adjourn by voice vote.

The agenda item described the executive session’s purpose as allowing the council to receive and discuss exempt commercial, financial and proprietary information relating to a prospective industrial development project at the Logistic(s) Park of North Dakota. Because the discussion was held under a statutory exemption and the council did not take formal action upon returning to open session, the meeting record does not disclose the contents of the closed discussion.

The meeting’s public portions included standard opening items: roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance. The council anticipated reconvening from the executive session at approximately 4:45 p.m. but did not take any immediate formal action when it returned to open session at about 4:53 p.m.