Councilor wants city to specify meeting rules

By Kara Hansen

The West Linn Tidings, Nov 27, 2009, Updated Nov 28, 2009 (4 Reader comments)

West Linn City Councilor Teri Cummings is pushing city staff to be more specific about reasons for holding closed-door meetings, a sore spot in council relations over the past few months.

The issue stems from a disagreement July 27. Mayor Patti Galle refused to attend an executive session, closed to the public, after adjourning the regular meeting. She said she hadn’t been given proper notice and wanted to ensure “transparency” in city government.

Councilors later said they discussed the city manager’s performance review.

Such private meetings allow public bodies to protect sensitive information, whether negotiating union contracts, crafting legal strategies or discussing specific employees. Decisions resulting from those discussions must be made in public.

Given a watchdog role in Oregon’s open meetings law, news media are usually allowed to attend. But they can’t report what happens behind closed doors unless told outside of the session.

State law also requires public bodies to cite reasons when holding an executive session. In West Linn, council agendas often cite the general law, a sort of blanket statement allowing an exemption from the rules.

Cummings wants agendas to be more specific.

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