National City Council moves into closed session over workers' compensation claim by Michael Shenahan

The National City Council recessed into a closed session to discuss a workers’ compensation liability claim brought by Michael Shenahan, the city attorney said.

City attorney: "It's a workers' compensation claim, and the claimant is Michael Shenahan versus City of National City," the city attorney said after the chair turned the meeting over to legal staff. The chair had announced there was "1 item for closed session." The meeting paused for the closed session and later reconvened.

Why it matters: Closed sessions allow the council to hear legal and personnel matters in private; a liability or workers' compensation claim can have financial or legal implications for the city depending on settlement or litigation decisions. The council provided public-comment procedures at the start of the meeting and recorded no public commentators for this agenda.

The meeting opened with procedural announcements and a notice that the meeting webcast was available on the city's website. Staff explained how members of the public could submit general or item-specific comments in person using a salmon-colored speaker slip or by email submitted at least one hour before the meeting; written comments received by the deadline are distributed to the council and posted online.

The clerk conducted roll call: Council member Bush answered present; Council member Rodriguez was absent at the time; Council member Molina was present; Vice Mayor Yamani was present; Mayor Morrison was not present. The council established a quorum and led the Pledge of Allegiance; a speaker identified as Brandon O'Byrhart was named in connection with the pledge.

After announcing the closed-session item, the chair turned the meeting over to the city attorney, who identified the subject as a liability matter and named the claimant. The chair then recessed the public meeting for the closed session. When the closed session concluded the chair announced it was adjourned and that the meeting would resume in about 10 minutes.

No motions, votes, or public outcomes related to the claim were recorded in the public portion of the transcript; the city attorney's identification of the claimant was the principal substantive disclosure made before the closed session.

The council returned to open session after the closed session concluded; no further public action related to the claim was recorded in the provided transcript.