The Coventry Town Council voted unanimously to enter an executive session to interview candidates for the town solicitor position, the council chair announced at the start of the meeting.

“We'll be taking a vote to go into executive session, pursuant to Rhode Island general law 42 46 5 a 1,” the Meeting Chair said before members moved and seconded the motion.

The clerk conducted a roll-call vote. Council members Pasquale, Capaldi, Hoole, Dowin, Mars, Vice President Brown and President Verducci each answered “Yes,” and the clerk announced the tally as seven in the affirmative and zero negative. “7 in the affirmative 0, and the negative motion passes,” the Madam Clerk stated, and the meeting stood adjourned for the executive session.

The statute cited, Rhode Island General Laws 42-46-5(a)(1), authorizes closed sessions for discussions of job performance and to interview candidates. The transcript shows the council opened the floor to public comment before the vote but contains no recorded public comments or further deliberations about the solicitor candidates in the portion provided.

No formal hiring action or appointment was recorded in the public portion of the meeting; the transcript ends with the council adjourning to the closed session for interviews.