Kearney Board of Aldermen votes to enter executive session citing state statute

The Kearney Board of Aldermen voted Friday evening to enter an executive session to discuss legal matters and privileged communications with the board's attorneys. The presiding official said, "We do have an executive session noticed up this evening," and cited state law as the basis for closing the meeting to the public.

An alderman moved to enter the closed session at 5:30 p.m. and another alderman seconded the motion; the two speakers stated "So moved" and "I'll second that." A roll-call vote was then taken. Alderman Leman, Alderman Spencer and Alderman Holt each answered "I" when their names were called. The public transcript does not record a verbal vote from Alderman King. The motion to go into executive session is recorded as carried in the meeting record.

The presiding official referenced state law, noting RSMo § 610.021(1) as the authority for a closed session to discuss "legal actions or litigation involving a public governmental body and any confidential or privileged communications between a public governmental body or its representatives and its attorneys," language reflected in the meeting exchange. The board's statement in the record was limited to the motion, second and roll call; no additional public discussion or detail about the subject of the closed session appears in the recorded portion of the meeting.

Following the roll call, the public portion of the meeting concluded in the available transcript. The record does not include further public debate, the content of the closed session, or any additional votes or directives tied to the executive-session item.