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Town Council closes meeting to consult with counsel; worksheet says ordinance added to police orders
Summary
At a June 3, 2025 virtual session the Town Council voted to close the meeting under Maryland law to consult with counsel and disclosed that Ordinance #2019-OR-06 was added to the Police Department’s general orders; the recorded vote lists four in favor but names only three members.
The Town Council voted to close an open meeting at 5:57 p.m. on June 3, 2025, to "consult with counsel to obtain legal advice," citing General Provisions Art. § 3-305(b)(7), and later disclosed in a worksheet that Ordinance #2019-OR-06 was added to the Police Department’s general orders.
The recorded closing-motion entry in the meeting paperwork lists the motion as made by Council Member Turberville and seconded by Council Member Serrano. The form states "Members in favor: 4" and names Council Members Serrano, McCauley and Turberville; it also records Council Member Johnson as absent. The paperwork therefore shows a numerical tally of four yes votes but provides only three identifying names; the transcript does not specify who the fourth yes vote was.
The closing statement form, presented as a model for compliance with Maryland’s Open Meetings Act, instructs the presiding officer to conduct a recorded vote before closing and to make a written statement listing the statutory basis for the closed session. The council checked the exception under § 3-305(b)(7), authorizing a closed meeting to consult with counsel for legal advice and limited the written topics accordingly.
The worksheet for disclosure in the next open session lists persons who attended the closed session: Mayor Tracy Gant (listed as the presiding officer who made the statement), Council Members Serrano, McCauley and Turberville, Town Administrator Rod Barnes, Police Chief Eric Beale and Town Attorney Jason Deloach. The worksheet records the topic actually discussed as "To consult with counsel to obtain legal advice" and states that "Ordinance #2019-OR-06 was added to the Police Department’s general orders." The document does not show a separate recorded vote on that ordinance in the worksheet or identify who moved or seconded the ordinance addition.
The meeting materials also include the meeting’s virtual access details (Zoom Meeting ID 841 7796 0049 and a U.S. dial-in number) and note that the form used is a revision dated 10/1/2018. The worksheet language reminds the body that closed-session discussions must remain within the written statement and that the minutes for the next open session must disclose the closed-session topics and actions.
The council did not provide verbatim spoken remarks in the transcript beyond the form entries; the worksheet disclosure is the only record in the transcript of the ordinance being added. The council is scheduled to publish or discuss the worksheet disclosures in its next open session, at which time the minutes should reflect the topics and any actions taken during the closed session.
