President Coffman moves Oswego board into closed session after no public comments

President Coffman announced the village board would enter a closed session after opening the public forum and receiving no speakers. “Seeing nobody, we will close the public forum,” Coffman said before asking for a motion to convene behind closed doors.

Coffman then asked for a motion “to move into closed session for the purposes of pending and probable litigation, appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of personnel, collective bargaining, collective negotiating matters, deliberations concerning salary schedules, or the sale, lease, and or acquisition of property.” A motion was made and seconded on the floor; the transcript does not clearly identify who moved or who seconded.

The clerk conducted a roll call on the motion; the transcript records affirmative votes from Trustee Torres, Trustee McCarthy Lang, Trustee Novey and Trustee Cooper, with Trustee Hughes and Trustee Koenig absent earlier in the meeting. The board then left the public chamber for the community room to conduct the closed session.

The board returned to open session later that evening and the clerk again called the roll. President Coffman, Trustee Cooper, Trustee McCarthy Lang and Trustee Novey were recorded present; Trustee Torres was absent on the board’s return. The transcript contains no public disclosures of actions taken or decisions reached during the closed session.

President Coffman then adjourned the Committee of the Whole and said the board would move directly into its board meeting.