Linn County board votes to enter closed session citing Iowa Code for ordinances, economic-development and litigation

The Chair moved and the board approved a motion to enter closed session during the Feb. 13 meeting, citing Iowa Code sections 21.51, 21.51a and 21.51c to permit confidential discussion of two draft ordinances, draft economic-development matters whose disclosure could harm the government's negotiating position, and pending litigation.

The Chair read the cited statute numbers on the record and said the ordinances would be kept as confidential records under Iowa Code section 21.51a and 22.765; the Chair also cited sections related to economic-development confidentiality and pending litigation. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The Chair stated the board would enter closed session in the Board of Supervisors conference room and adjourn from there.

The transcript does not record further public details about the ordinances, the economic-development items or the litigation, and no roll-call vote totals were provided on the motion. The statutes cited were presented on the record as the legal basis for confidentiality and the closed session.