Hope Mills mayor, mayor pro tem move meeting into closed session and seal minutes

At a special meeting, the Hope Mills mayor and mayor pro tem moved the session into a closed meeting to consult with the town attorney and later voted to seal the closed-session minutes.

"Motion to conduct a closed session pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11(a)(3) to consult with the attorney on matters within the attorney-client privilege," the Mayor Pro Tem said when making the motion to enter closed session. The meeting recessed into closed session and later reconvened.

After the body returned, the Mayor Pro Tem moved "to seal the minutes of the closed session until such time as the release of the information would no longer frustrate the purpose of the closed session, and further no action was taken," according to the transcript. The motion also stated that no action occurred during the closed session.

Earlier in the meeting the presiding official called for approval of the agenda; a motion to approve was made and seconded and the presiding officer said "Okay," indicating the agenda was accepted (the transcript does not identify who moved or seconded the agenda approval, nor does it record a roll-call tally). The presiding official also noted Commissioner Mitchell was not present at 5 p.m. and would join the meeting after finishing at the Alms House.

The meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn was made, seconded and the presiding officer declared the meeting adjourned. The transcript does not record vote tallies for the motions to enter closed session, to seal minutes, or to adjourn.