Livingston City Council retires into closed session to discuss labor negotiations and litigation

Unidentified Speaker opened a special meeting of the Livingston City Council at 6:01 p.m. Dec. 16 and announced the council would consider four closed-session items, including labor negotiations and multiple legal matters.

The council identified Item 6 as a conference with a labor negotiator under Government Code section 54957.6 and named Jose Antonio Ramirez, the city manager, as the labor negotiator. The speaker listed the employee organizations included in that discussion as the clerical bargaining unit, the police supervisory employees association, the management confidential bargaining unit, the Livingston Police Officers Association and the public works and parks unit.

Item 7 was described as a conference with legal counsel regarding existing litigation under Government Code section 54956.9, subdivision (d)(1), and referenced "John Marco versus City of Livingston, case number 23CVDash01647." Item 8 was described as anticipated initiation of litigation under Government Code section 54956.9, subdivision (d)(4), with one matter to consider. Item 9 was identified as an existing litigation matter, referenced as FR103318 and naming Nancy Arellano.

Before adjourning, the presiding speaker asked for citizen comments on the closed-session items, asked whether anyone was on the phone and whether anyone in the chamber wished to speak, and—hearing none—closed public comment for the closed session. The presiding speaker then stated, "We are going to retire into closed session, and we'll be back." The council recorded the time at about 6:04 p.m. when it left the open meeting.

The council did not disclose outcomes of the closed-session deliberations in the open record. Any decisions or directions resulting from the closed session, including potential settlements, labor agreements or other actions, will be reported later as required by law or council practice.