Aiken City Council moves into executive session over pending lawsuit

The Aiken City Council moved unanimously into an executive session to receive an attorney-client update on the lawsuit Crowell and Company LLC versus the City of Aiken, the chair said during the meeting. The council recessed to Room 315 for the closed session and later reconvened and adjourned until the regular 7 p.m. meeting.

The chair told the council, “Specifically, city council received an update regarding Crowell and Company LLC versus the City of Aiken lawsuit that is pending in the Aiken County Court of Common Pleas.” The chair then asked, “Is there a motion to go into executive session?” and the council moved and seconded the motion. The chair stated, “We will now move into executive session in Room 315,” and the vote was recorded as unanimous.

After the closed session the chair asked, “Is there a motion to come out of executive session?” a council member moved and—per the meeting record—Councilman Waldo was recorded as making the motion with Councilwoman Broll seconding. The chair called for the vote; the council voted unanimously to reconvene and then adjourn until the regular meeting at 7 p.m.

The transcript records that the topic discussed in the executive session was a pending or threatened legal claim and that the discussion was held under attorney-client privilege. No substantive details of the council’s privileged discussion were disclosed in the public record. The council’s procedural actions were limited to the formal motions to enter and exit the closed session and the adjournment to the later regular meeting.