Executive Sessions

[Guest mcp]

Can a Board of Trustees consistently call executive sessions for each of their meetings? I was under the impression that a board can only call executive sessions for matters dealing with privacy issues for example with regard to personnel and only for a portion of a meeting since meetings would fall under the open meeting law. Or is open meeting law only valid within a public setting?

Thank you,

MCP

[Rob Elsman]

Can a Board of Trustees consistently call executive sessions for each of their meetings? I was under the impression that a board can only call executive sessions for matters dealing with privacy issues for example with regard to personnel and only for a portion of a meeting since meetings would fall under the open meeting law. Or is open meeting law only valid within a public setting?

Thank you,

MCP

Many boards of private organizations regularly and customarily meet in executive session to transact all their business. Some boards of public entities may be subject to sunshine laws that limit the circumstances in which the board can meet in executive session. See RONR (10th ed.), pp. 92, 93.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Can a Board of Trustees consistently call executive sessions for each of their meetings?

Yes. Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR 10th ed.) tells us that many organizations have their board meet 100% of the time in executive session.

I was under the impression that a board can only call executive sessions for matters dealing with privacy issues for example with regard to personnel ...

Not true, according to Robert's Rules.

. . . and only for a portion of a meeting . . .

Not true, according to Robert's Rules.

. . . since meetings would fall under the open meeting law.

Whoa! - I thought you were asking a question about Robert's Rules of Order.

We do not answer legal questions, like a state's "open meeting" law or a state's "sunshine" law.

Consult a lawyer licensed to practice in your state if you want a legal opinion on state law or on the corporations code of your state.

Or is open meeting law only valid within a public setting?

Ask a lawyer any legal question, if you want a legal opinion.

If you have a question about Robert's Rules of Order, or have a question about parliamentary procedure, then, fine, this Forum is the acceptable place for that kind of question.