Chair moves Miami County commissioners into executive session to interview county administrator candidate

The chair of the Miami County Board of County Commissioners moved at the start of a special meeting on Sept. 22 that the board recess into a two-hour executive session to interview “Candidate B” for the county administrator position, citing "KSA 70 five-four 319 B" and invoking the non‑elected personnel exception to protect the applicant’s privacy. The chair said the open meeting would resume in the same room at 10:50.

The chair announced who would be present for the closed interview: five commissioners, County Administrator Shane Crowell, Commissioner‑elect Jamie Rainey, Commissioner‑elect Jacob Bickery, Human Resources Director Sarah Denning, Assistant Human Resources Director Bella Rideau and the candidate described as "Candidate B." After a second was recorded (no speaker identified), the chair called for a vote. "All in favor, aye," the chair said; the motion passed unanimously, and the board recessed into executive session. After returning from the closed session, the chair said no results were announced and the board adjourned.

The proceeding invoked a state statute as the legal basis for the closed meeting; the transcript records the citation as "KSA 70 five‑four 319 B". The transcript does not record any further public discussion, appointment, or vote on the candidate following the executive session.