San Marcos City Council holds closed executive-session review of city clerk

The San Marcos City Council convened a special meeting Sept. 23 and voted to go into a closed executive session under Texas Government Code §551.074 to conduct the annual evaluation of the city clerk.

Council member Rodriguez moved to enter executive session and was seconded by Council member Mendoza; the motion passed with five affirmative votes and two members absent, and the council recessed to a conference room at 3:16 p.m. The council returned to open session at 5:12 p.m.

A staff reader, Mr. Vin, read item two and told the council it was asked to "consider action by motion or provide direction to staff related to the city council's executive session deliberation under section 551.074 of the Texas government code" and stated, "we held that evaluation with our city clerk and we concluded it." The reading and the return announcement indicate the evaluation was completed during the closed session; the transcript contains no public announcement of hiring, firing, discipline or other formal personnel action taken in open session.

With no further items on the agenda, the presiding official adjourned the meeting at 5:14 p.m.

The closed session was held under Texas Government Code §551.074, the statutory provision that permits a governmental body to meet in private to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer or employee. The council did not provide additional public details about the substance of the evaluation in the meeting record provided.

The meeting record shows the council followed the procedural steps to recess into executive session and to return to open session and adjourn; the transcript does not specify which two members were absent during the vote or any subsequent public motion related to the evaluation.