Anne Arundel County Council votes to enter closed session under Maryland statute to discuss personnel

The Anne Arundel County Council voted 5-0, with two members absent, on Oct. 31, 2025, to meet in closed session under Maryland Annotated Code, General Provisions Article §3-305(b)(1) to discuss personnel matters.

Presiding Officer for the special session cited the statute on the record, saying, "Based on section 3 3 0 5 B 1 of the General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the council is permitted to meet in closed session to discuss personnel matters over whom this public body has jurisdiction." Councilmember Ledbetter then moved to enter the closed session; the presiding officer directed the secretary to call the roll.

The roll call recorded the following: Councilmember Smith — Aye; Councilmember Pickard — Aye; Councilmember Volke — Absent; Councilmember Beadler — Absent; Councilmember Radbien — Aye; Councilmember Ledbetter — Aye; Councilmember Hummer — Aye. The clerk announced five affirmative votes and two absences and said the motion to enter closed session had passed.

The council adjourned the public special meeting to go into the closed session immediately afterward. The meeting record provided no details about the subject of the personnel discussion, no second for the motion was recorded in the public transcript, and no timeframe for the closed session was announced publicly.

Because the council cited §3-305(b)(1) as the legal basis for the closed session, the discussion is limited to personnel matters covered by that provision; the public record here contains only the motion, the statute citation, and the roll-call vote.