Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Executive Session Recusal topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council discloses campaign and employment conflict; certifies closed executive session
Summary
Council moved into a closed executive session to discuss WMATA-related investment and legal matters, and a councilmember disclosed an employment conflict before the body adopted a certification of the closed session.
The Alexandria City Council moved into closed executive session early in the Oct. 28 meeting to discuss multiple items staff identified under Virginia open-meetings exemptions, including investment discussions involving WMATA, litigation consultation and legal advice on local green-building policy and immigration enforcement.
Councilman Alejandro Aguirre moved for the closed session under the state code language recited in the motion; Councilman Chapman seconded. During the roll call that followed, Councilman El Newby disclosed that his employment with WMATA constituted a personal interest in one of the matters to be discussed and said he would be disqualified from attending or discussing that matter. "Due to my employment with WMATA, I have a personal interest in 1 of the matters to be discussed in closed session," he said, and indicated he would not participate in that portion.
After the closed session, the council reconvened in public and conducted a roll-call certification vote. A motion to adopt the resolution certifying that only lawful exempted matters had been discussed passed by roll call. Councilman El Newby reiterated that he abstained from portions he did not attend in full because of his earlier disclosure.
