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Trustees move into executive session, cite attorney-client communications and pending litigation
Summary
Trustees voted unanimously to enter an executive session to discuss pending litigation and attorney-client communications; the board invited lead counsel, the municipal manager and VLCT representatives to join. A prior public comment referenced upcoming depositions in a case and alleged inconsistent statements about legal-bill funding.
The Woodstock Board of Trustees voted to enter executive session on June 18 to discuss pending litigation and attorney-client communications, citing statutory authority for a closed session. Chair moved that premature public knowledge would place trustees at a disadvantage and that the meeting should go into executive session; the motion was seconded and the board approved the move.
The chair's remarks named parties to be invited into the session: lead counsel, the municipal manager and "VLCT" representatives. Earlier in the meeting, a public commenter identified by the chair as Nicholas said he believed the executive session concerned what he called the "Swanson case," told trustees depositions of O'Keefe and Duffy will begin soon, and alleged the village's lawyer had misrepresented whether insurance, rather than the municipality, is paying legal bills.
After the closed session, trustees moved and voted to leave executive session and then adjourned the meeting. The board recorded no further public action on the litigation at the meeting.
The chair cited legal authority for the closed session; the transcript wording included a statutory citation rendered as "Under 1 VSA 3 1 3 a 1 e n f" in the record; that language was treated in this report as a reference to 1 VSA §313(a)(1) permitting attorney‑client discussions in closed session where the board determined public disclosure would cause disadvantage.
