Columbus County commissioners recess meeting to closed session citing attorney–client privilege and personnel matters

Columbus County commissioners recessed their regular meeting and entered a closed session under North Carolina General Statute 143‑318.11(a)(3) and (a)(6) after a motion was moved and seconded.

The statutes cited allow public bodies to hold closed sessions for attorney–client privileged communications and certain personnel matters. The meeting transcript records the chair asking for a motion “to recess regular session and enter into closed session in accordance with North Carolina general statute 143‑318.11(a)(3) attorney client privilege North Carolina general statute 143‑318.11(a)(6) personnel.” The transcript identifies a motion moved by Commissioner Bullard and seconded by Commissioner Smith. The chair then called for a vote and directed the meeting into closed session, saying, “All in favor? All opposed? In closed session.”

No further discussion or details about the subject matter of the closed session appear in the public transcript. The record does not report a roll-call vote or a tally by name; the transcript indicates the chair recessed the meeting into closed session after the motion was moved and seconded. Pursuant to the cited statute, substantive discussion of attorney–client privileged communications or personnel matters is permitted to occur out of public view.

Because the public transcript contains only the procedural motion, the mover and the seconder, and the chair's call to recess into closed session, no additional factual details about the matters discussed in closed session are available in the public record provided.