Manhattan Beach City Council approves agenda, recesses into closed session over three litigation matters

The Manhattan Beach City Council on April 7 approved its meeting agenda by a 5-0 vote and then recessed into closed session so the council could consider three separate matters of existing litigation identified on the agenda.

The presiding officer called the regular meeting to order and led the body in the Pledge of Allegiance. The clerk recorded Council members Turney, Sherillian, Holwerda, Mayor pro tem Franklin and Mayor Lesser as present. "Motion by Council member Carney with a second by Mayor pro tem Franklin," the presiding officer said, then called for the question and announced, "Motion passes 5-0." The transcript does not record individual roll-call votes beyond the announced tally.

There were no public comments in chambers on agenda items and the clerk was asked whether anyone was present on Zoom; the presiding officer closed public comment. The city attorney told the council, "Yes, Mayor. Today's session, we have three separate matters of existing litigation identified on the agenda." Following that announcement, the presiding officer recessed the meeting into closed session to consider those matters.

The council did not take further public action in open session before the recess. The transcript indicates the meeting moved directly into closed session for discussions of the announced litigation items; the content and outcomes of those closed-session discussions were not included in the public transcript.