April 22, 1997

 

 

 

Greg Campbell, Chairman
Adirondack Park Agency
P.O. Box 99
Ray Brook, NY 12977

The staff of the Committee on Open Government is authorized to issue advisory opinions. The ensuing staff advisory opinion is based solely upon the information presented in your correspondence.

Dear Chairman Campbell:

I have received your recent memorandum in which you requested an advisory opinion concerning the Open Meetings Law. Specifically, you have questioned "the legality or need to identify either an individual or position when a motion is made to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing possible disciplinary action against an employee."

From my perspective, while a motion for entry into executive session must be sufficiently detailed to enable the members of a public body, as well as others attending a meeting, to ascertain whether the issue may properly be discussed in private, the motion need not identify either an individual or his or her position. In this regard, I offer the following comments.

First, by way of background, as you are aware, the Open Meetings Law requires that a procedure be accomplished, during an open meeting, before a public body may enter into an executive session. Section 105(1) states in relevant part that:

"Upon a majority vote of its total membership, taken in an open meeting pursuant to a motion identifying the general area or areas of the subject or subjects to be considered, a public body may conduct an executive session for the below enumerated purposes only..."

As such, a motion to conduct an executive session must include reference to the subject or subjects to be discussed, and the motion must be carried by majority vote of a public body's total membership before such a session may validly be held. The ensuing provisions of §105(1) specify and limit the subjects that may appropriately be considered during an executive session.

Second, I believe that a discussion of possible disciplinary action against an employee could appropriately be conducted in executive session. Section 105(1)(f) permits a public body to enter into executive session to discuss:

"the medical, financial, credit or employment history of a particular person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation..."

Third, with respect to the adequacy of a motion to enter into executive session, it has been advised that a motion describing the subject to be discussed as "personnel" or "specific personnel matters" is inadequate, and that the motion should be based upon the specific language of §105(1)(f). For instance, a proper motion might be: "I move to enter into an executive session to discuss the employment history of a particular person." By means of the kind of motion suggested above, members of a public body and others in attendance would have the ability to know that there is a proper basis for entry into an executive session. Absent such detail, neither the members nor others may be able to determine whether the subject may properly be considered behind closed doors.

It has long been suggested that a motion made pursuant to §105(1)(f) is not required to include information that would identify the person who is the subject of the discussion. As early as 1981, citing opinions rendered by this office, it was determined judicially that:

"When entering into executive session to discuss personnel matters of a particular individual, the Board should not be required to reveal the identity of the person but should make it clear that the reason for the executive session is because their discussion involves a 'particular' person" [Board of Education of Doolittle v. Odessa-Montour Central School District, Supreme Court, Chemung County, October 20, 1981].

More recently, the Appellate Division, Third Department, confirmed the advice rendered by the Committee and held that:

"...the public body must identify the subject matter to be discussed (See, Public Officers Law § 105 [1]), and it is apparent that this must be accomplished with some degree of particularity, i.e., merely reciting the statutory language is insufficient (see, Daily Gazette Co. v Town Bd., Town of Cobleskill, 111 Misc 2d 303, 304-305). Additionally, the topics discussed during the executive session must remain within the exceptions enumerated in the statute (see generally, Matter of Plattsburgh Publ. Co., Div. of Ottaway Newspapers v City of Plattsburgh, 185 AD2d §18), and these exceptions, in turn, 'must be narrowly scrutinized, lest the article's clear mandate be thwarted by thinly veiled references to the areas delineated thereunder' (Weatherwax v Town of Stony Point, 97 AD2d 840, 841, quoting Daily Gazette Co. v Town Bd., Town of Cobleskill, supra, at 304; see, Matter of Orange County Publs., Div. of Ottaway Newspapers v County of Orange, 120 AD2d 596, lv dismissed 68 NY 2d 807).

"Applying these principles to the matter before us, it is apparent that the Board's stated purpose for entering into executive session, to wit, the discussion of a 'personnel issue', does not satisfy the requirements of Public Officers Law § 105 (1) (f). The statute itself requires, with respect to personnel matters, that the discussion involve the 'employment history of a particular person" (id. [emphasis supplied]). Although this does not mandate that the individual in question be identified by name, it does require that any motion to enter into executive session describe with some detail the nature of the proposed discussion (see, State Comm on Open Govt Adv Opn dated Apr. 6, 1993), and we reject respondents' assertion that the Board's reference to a 'personnel issue' is the functional equivalent of identifying 'a particular person'" [Gordon v. Village of Monticello, 620 NY 2d 573, 575; 207 AD 2d 55 (1994)].

In sum, it is reiterated that a motion to conduct an executive session must be sufficiently detailed to enable the public to know that there is a proper basis for entry into the closed session. However, based on the judicial decisions cited above, it is clear that the motion need not identify the person or position that is the subject of the discussion. I hope that I have been of assistance. Should any further questions arise, please free to contact me.

Sincerely,

 

Robert J. Freeman
Executive Director

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