Carlsbad council moves into closed session to discuss two potential legal actions

The Carlsbad City Council moved into closed session during its meeting after a roll call confirmed all five members were present, the city attorney said.

The city attorney told the council there were two items on the closed-session calendar: first, a meeting with counsel to discuss "significant exposure to litigation" stemming from a claim by Balonzo Dalisay; second, consideration of initiating litigation in one case. The city attorney said both items are authorized under Government Code section 54956.9 (the provision that allows closed-session discussions about litigation), and identified the second item as authorized under subdivision (d)(4) of that code section.

The council completed roll call before the closed-session announcement; Council member Shin, Council member Burkholder, Council member Acosta, Mayor Pro Tem Bah Patel and Mayor Blackburn were recorded present. The city attorney said there were no public speakers on the closed-session items and asked the mayor to take the council into closed session. The public transcript does not record any vote or other public action on the matters discussed in closed session.

Under California Government Code section 54956.9, a public agency may meet in closed session to confer with legal counsel about pending or threatened litigation and to consider whether to initiate litigation. Because the transcript ends with the council being taken into closed session, no further public details or outcomes were disclosed in the record provided.