San Juan Capistrano City Council members recuse from anticipated litigation, move into executive session

The San Juan Capistrano City Council on March 3, 2026 recorded recusals from Agenda Item 4b1, an anticipated litigation matter, and then convened in executive session.

The mayor called the regular executive session to order and asked the clerk to call the roll. Responses in the record show Council members Hart, Born and Campbell and Mayor Pro Tim Taylor present; Council member Frias was noted as joining the meeting shortly.

When the mayor asked whether any council members needed to abstain from items on the closed-session agenda, a council member announced they would recuse themselves from Item 4b1, describing the decision in the meeting as "At the advice of council, I'm recusing from Item 4b1 under anticipated litigation." The remark was recorded without further public elaboration.

Shortly afterward, Mayor Pro Tim Taylor said, on behalf of Council member Frias, that Frias would also be recusing from Item 4b. (The transcript uses the spelling "Furrias" in one place; later references and the roll call use "Frias." The spelling has been normalized to Frias in this report and the discrepancy is noted in the audit.)

With those recusals noted, the council announced it would move into executive session to consider the listed closed-session items. No votes or formal motions on the merits of Item 4b1 were recorded in the public transcript; the announcements on recusals and the adjournment to closed session were procedural steps recorded immediately before the closed meeting.

The council did not take further public action on the item before moving into executive session. Any deliberations or outcomes from the closed session will not be part of the public record unless the council later reports actions taken in open session.