Green Bay Area Public School District board votes to enter closed session to consult on potential litigation

The Green Bay Area Public School District board opened a virtual meeting on Feb. 4 and voted unanimously to convene in closed session to consult with legal counsel about potential litigation involving the district.

At the chair’s request, Lynn read the motion, citing the statutory basis: “I move that the board convene in closed session pursuant to Wisconsin statute 19.85, section 1 g, conferring with legal counsel for the the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved more specifically to it potential litigation matters regarding the district.” A second was noted (“Laura has a second”), and the board proceeded to a roll-call vote.

Each member present — Becker; Minnell; Knoell (listed earlier in roll call as Kanell); Gerlach; Meister; Lyerly; and McCoy — voted “Aye,” approving the motion to move into closed session. The chair then directed participants to leave the public meeting and join the separate virtual meeting for the closed session; the board said it would be noticed to return to open session if any formal action were required following the closed discussion.

The motion was made and recorded under the authority of Wisconsin Statute 19.85(1)(g), which permits a governmental body to confer with legal counsel regarding litigation strategy. No details of the litigation or further substantive discussion were stated on the public record during the open session. The public portion of the meeting concluded with the procedural instructions to rejoin the alternate virtual meeting for the closed discussion.