Waynesboro council holds closed session on prospective business expansion and eminent domain, then certifies meeting

The Waynesboro City Council recessed into a closed session and later certified that the meeting complied with Virginia law.

A motion to enter closed session cited the Code of Virginia and authorized discussion of "a prospective business or industry or the expansion of an existing business or industry" where no public announcement had been made, consultation with the city attorney pertaining to actual or probable litigation, and specific legal matters requiring legal advice. The motion referenced Virginia Code sections "2.2 dash 3,711 A 5 7 and 8" as the legal authority for the closed session; the motion also identified subject matters including a performance agreement for a local business expansion and eminent domain in Waynesboro v. Hopeman Land Company.

Council recessed to closed session; the meeting record shows a later motion to return to open session and adopt a certification resolution required by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Council then voted on that certification by roll call and the resolution was adopted. The certification language records that, to the best of each member's knowledge, only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements were discussed and only matters identified in the motion were considered.

The closed session motion and the certification were recorded on the meeting minutes. The council did not disclose details of the discussion during the closed session at the open meeting beyond the subject matters enumerated in the motion.