Asheville City Council votes to enter closed session citing state confidentiality and personnel statutes

Esther Banhammer, mayor of the City of Asheville, opened the meeting by announcing the council would go into closed session and recognized Councilmember Bohes to present the motion.

Councilmember Bohes moved, "I move that the Asheville City Council go into closed session for the following reasons. 1, to prevent disclosure of information that is privileged and confidential, pursuant to the laws of North Carolina, or not considered a public record within the meaning of chapter 132 of the General Statutes. The statutory authorization is contained in North Carolina General Statutes §143-318.11(a)(1). The law that makes the information privileged and confidential is North Carolina General Statutes §143-318.10(e)."

Bohes went on to state a second justification: "and 2, to consider the qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of appointment, or conditional conditions of initial employment of an individual public officer or employee. The statutory authorization is contained in North Carolina General Statutes §143-318.11(a)(6)."

The motion was seconded by the vice mayor. During a roll call the vice mayor answered "Aye," followed by Councilman Hess, Councilman Turner and Councilman Smith each answering "Aye." The mayor then stated the motion passed and the council exited the public meeting to join the closed session.

The council did not disclose additional information in the public record about the subjects to be discussed in closed session or any subsequent outcomes. The motion and the statutes cited are part of the public meeting record.