St. Helens council approves KGW TV reporter to attend executive session

The St. Helens City Council voted on Sept. 10 to admit Alma McCarty of KGW TV as a representative of institutional news media for an upcoming executive session. A staff member, identified in the meeting as Ashley, recommended McCarty’s admission after reviewing the application and confirming her employment.

"This is an application from KGW TV. It's Alma McCarty," Ashley said, recommending the council approve the request. Councilor Gunnerson moved to approve the admission; another councilor seconded the motion. The council recorded affirmative votes by the members present and the motion passed.

The council then instructed nonparticipating attendees to leave the Zoom meeting and recessed into executive session, and staff stopped the live streaming and recording. The council scheduled the special session to resume at 5:45 p.m.; entry rules explained that attendees removed from the Zoom may not be able to rejoin if the recorder/host removes them.

The admission was handled under the council's standard procedure for approving media access to executive sessions; the clerk had presented the application and the council voted on the single-motion approval.