Cochran City Council holds special meeting, enters closed session on personnel matters

The Cochran City Council met in a special called session on March 3, 2026, and entered a closed executive session to discuss personnel matters.

Mayor Carla Coley called the meeting to order at 4:58 PM at the City Auditorium, 102 N. Second Street. Council Member Trecia Gardner led an invocation. Mayor Coley announced that Council Members Rufus Veal and Dianne Lester were not fully present and that City Manager Richard Newbern and City Attorney Jim Elliott were absent; she stated a quorum was present.

Council Member Lonnie Tedders moved to approve the agenda "as presented," and Council Member Gary Ates seconded; the motion carried by unanimous vote. At 5:02 PM, the council voted unanimously on a motion to enter executive session. The stated purpose for the closed session was "Personnel Matters"—specifically appointment, employment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action, dismissal, or periodic evaluation of a public officer or employee. The record does not disclose any details discussed in the executive session.

The council reconvened in open session at 5:45 PM after a unanimous vote to exit executive session; the motion to exit was made by Council Member Gary Ates and seconded by Council Member Dianne Lester. The agenda included a placeholder for "Action, if any, related to Executive Session," but the minutes as drafted record no public action or formal vote tied to personnel matters following reconvening.

A motion to adjourn, made by Council Member Gary Ates and seconded by Council Member Trecia Gardner, was approved unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 5:45 PM. The draft minutes were prepared and submitted by City Clerk Candace Summerall.

Because the council met in an executive session to discuss personnel matters, no additional details about those discussions are included in the public record here.