Former contractor raises website-file dispute; council moves to executive session over threatened litigation

Diane Gacom, the village's former sewer maintenance billing and website-maintenance contractor, told the Village of Northfield Council on Oct. 27 that she would move forward with claims if the matter could not be resolved after presenting documents at a prior meeting.

Gacom asked whether the mayor advised another individual to provide files from the old website to the new service provider and whether council had reviewed the documents she submitted. Law Director Brad Bryan responded in the meeting that the Village would not discuss the matter further in public and said he had reviewed Ms. Gacom's materials along with the 2009 website proposal. Bryan told council: "The Village did not do anything to violate the terms of the 2009 website proposal, did not do anything improper with respect to the website, and does not owe Ms. Gacom any money." He recommended council go into executive session because litigation had been threatened.

Councilmembers debated next steps: Councilperson Keith Czerr asked for more information and a work session; Council President Jenn Domzalski and others favored first gathering facts in executive session. The law director said executive session would allow council to obtain information from village officials and then decide whether a public meeting was needed.

The meeting later recessed into an executive session at 8:20 p.m. to discuss threatened litigation related to Ms. Gacom's claims; council reconvened at 9:12 p.m. The council did not record any additional public actions that resolved Ms. Gacom's stated intent to pursue claims during the regular session minutes.

No determination of liability or settlement was made on the record; council directed further review in closed session according to the minutes.