Commissioners authorize executive session to deliberate contracts being negotiated

County legal counsel explained a written opinion allowing the court to discuss contracts in closed session under the Texas Government Code when doing so would be detrimental to the county's negotiating position. "The only government bodies that are able to talk about contracts are the Texas Facilities Commission and counties within the state of Texas," counsel said, and he advised the court that a written opinion had been issued in accordance with the statute.

Judge Parrish moved to include deliberations regarding contracts being negotiated in the forthcoming executive session; the motion was seconded and approved. The minutes record the court entering executive session at approximately 10:35 a.m. The court reconvened at 12:39 p.m. and adjourned the meeting.

The court did not disclose on the public record the subject matter of the contract deliberations, only that the attorney-issued written opinion authorized closed-session deliberations on at least two pending contract items.