River Vale Township school board votes to enter closed session citing litigation, personnel and student matters

The River Vale Township High School Board of Education Committee voted April 7 to retire into executive session, citing state statutes covering litigation, personnel matters, collective bargaining and individual student issues.

The board chair asked for the motion, saying: "Can I get a motion to retire to executive session for the purposes of A, litigation when an action against affecting or on behalf of a particular public body, 5 ILCS 120/2C11, B, the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors or specific volunteers of the public body or legal counsel for public body, 5 ILCS 120/2C1, C, collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more class of employees, 5 ILCS 120/2C2, or D, matters related to individual students per section 2C10." The motion and a second were made on the record; the minutes did not name who moved or seconded.

Board members then answered a roll-call vote. Board member Ms. Melinaro voted "Aye." Board member Ms. Morris voted "Aye." Dr. Fischer voted "Aye." Board member Ms. Barbehenn voted "Aye." Board member Ms. Smith voted "Aye." Mrs. Paxton and Mr. Ocampo were recorded as absent. The chair announced the motion carried.

The chair closed the public portion by stating, "Thank you. We are now going to go into closed session and we will reopen um as close to 6:30 as possible." The meeting recessed to executive session at the time recorded; no further public discussion or action is included in the public record for this session.

The invocation of the cited sections of the Illinois Open Meetings Act — 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11) (litigation), 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) (personnel), 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2) (collective bargaining) and 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(10) (individual student matters) — indicates the board moved its deliberations on those specified topics out of public view under state law. The public meeting was planned to resume at about 6:30 p.m., according to the chair’s announcement.