City Council to Hold Executive Session Tonight
Vol. III, No. 136 - Troy's City Council has a special city council meeting tonight with an executive session the only item on the agenda
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In Ohio, every local government must follow the Open Meetings Act, found in Section 121.22 of the Ohio Revised Code. This law requires public bodies to hold meetings openly so citizens can watch government decisions happen in real time. The only exception is the executive session, which is a private meeting allowed under specific circumstances to handle matters that can’t be discussed publicly without harming confidentiality or strategy.
And tonight, Troy City Council will hold a special council meeting following council committee meetings. The only item on the agenda for this special committee meeting is n executive session. The agenda has noted that the executive session is to “consider the compensation of certain public employees, conisder the purpose of property and confer with legal counsel regarding imminent court action.”
Taken together, it does appear that there are multiple things that are happening at City Hall that are sure to raise some eyebrows; are all these topics related to one item? Are these separate items being discussed? Given that these discussions are happening behind closed doors, the public will only see what is happening once resolutions or ordinances are adopted by council or when litigation is filed with the courts.
But regardless of what does or doesn’t come out of today’s executive session, the opportunity is here to talk about what these executive sessions are and how they work.
When Executive Sessions Are Allowed
Ohio law strictly limits the reasons for going into executive session:
Personnel matters: Hiring, firing, discipline, pay, promotions, demotions, or investigating complaints against public employees or officials (unless the person requests a public hearing). This cannot be used to discipline elected officials for actions tied to their official duties.
Property deals: Buying property for public use, selling unused property, or competitive bidding — but only if early disclosure would give an unfair advantage to private interests.
Lawsuits: Meeting with the public body’s lawyer about pending or imminent court cases.
Union negotiations: Planning, reviewing, or holding bargaining sessions with public employees over pay or terms of employment.
Confidential matters: Topics that federal or state law requires to remain private.
Security and emergency planning: Security measures and emergency response protocols if public disclosure would create a risk.
Trade secrets and economic development: Discussing confidential business information for economic development projects, when allowed by law.
Rules for Executive Sessions
Ohio’s rules are designed to keep executive sessions from being abused:
Clear purpose: The motion to enter executive session must state exactly why it’s being held, and discussion must stay on that topic.
No final decisions: Votes on any matter must happen in open session.
Confidentiality: What’s discussed stays private among those in the room.
Minutes required: The body must keep general minutes showing an executive session took place, but specifics of the discussion remain confidential.
Why It Matters
The Open Meetings Act is built on transparency and accountability. Executive sessions are useful when sensitive topics must be handled privately, but public bodies must prove they meet one of the legal exceptions. Breaking these rules can void actions taken and lead to fines or court costs.
Used correctly, executive sessions protect legitimate confidentiality while preserving public trust in government decisions. Misused, they undermine the very openness Ohio law is meant to guarantee.
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