McDonald County commissioners enter closed session after update from Hawley's office

Presiding Commissioner Bryan Hall, Eastern Commissioner Jamey Cope and Western Commissioner Rick Lett met Nov. 19, 2025, and heard an update from Erin Englemeyer about issues being handled by Senator Josh Hawley's office, according to the meeting minutes.

The minutes record that commissioners also met with a candidate being considered for the county's Litter Recycling Crew; the candidate was not named and no hiring decision is recorded.

At 2:05 p.m., Commissioner Jamey Cope moved to close the open session and go into closed session under statute 610.021.1. Commissioner Rick Lett seconded the motion, and the minutes state the motion passed; the minutes do not provide a roll-call tally.

The minutes show the commission reconvened the open session at 3:17 p.m. after a motion by Commissioner Rick Lett to close the closed session and reopen the open meeting. Commissioner Bryan Hall seconded that motion and "all voted in favor," the minutes say.

No further business was recorded. The minutes note the commission will reconvene on Nov. 24, 2025, and record that the minutes were filed (Book PP, page 598). The document lists signatures but contains a line of text that appears garbled in the record; the minutes do not clarify that text.

County Clerk Jessica Cole is listed among those present in the minutes; the document does not report any formal votes on ordinances, budget items, appointments or policy changes during this session.

The meeting minutes provide the actions and timing of the closed-session motions but do not specify the subject matter discussed in the closed session or any vote tallies beyond the statements that the motions passed.