Granville Village Council votes to enter executive session under Ohio statute to consider confidential business information

A council member moved that the Granville Village Council enter an executive session under Ohio Revised Code 121.22(G)(8) to consider confidential information related to marketing plans, business strategy, production techniques and trade secrets tied to utility services for an economic development project. The motion was seconded and approved by roll call.

“I'll move that we enter executive session pursuant to ORC 121.22(G)(8) to consider confidential information relating to the marketing plans, specific business strategy, production techniques, trade secrets,” the council member said before the vote.

The motion cited ORC 121.22(G)(8), which the council said requires a unanimous vote when the subject involves utility services directly related to an economic development project. A roll call recorded affirmative votes from Council member Debreast; Councilor Keith Claibold; Councilor Lighthizer; Councilor Mickelson; and Vice Mayor Johnson. The transcript also records an affirmative vote from the mayor but shows two different names in the roll-call lines ("Hawkins" and "Mike Jones"); the mayor's vote is recorded as "yes." The council did not disclose details about the project, the company, or the specific utility services in the portions of the transcript provided.

Council members told the room they would hold any further votes or substantive discussion in the executive session. The public record excerpt supplied does not include the closed-session discussion or any subsequent formal actions taken in that session.