WLDS/WEAI is questioning the legality of a recent executive session at a public meeting.
WLDS/WEAI has filed a request for review with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Public Access Counselor about the Village of South Jacksonville’s August 5th meeting where they were advised by Village Attorney Rob Cross to enter into executive session to hear Public Comment.
Cross said to the Village Board on Thursday night there was an exception on Public Comment when it came to personnel matters: “I think if we are going to have comments about any individual, I think the board should hear them in executive session so we are not airing comments about individual employees in public. That’s why there is that exception, so if the comments are all about an individual, you can adjourn into executive session and hear those comments in executive session – let them speak in executive session. That’s up to you, but that’s what I recommend.”
After that advising, Mayor Tyson Manker then asked the board for a motion to adjourn into executive session to discuss personnel, which the board moved to do at that time. The four individuals who signed for Public Comment then provided the Board of Trustees their comments one by one during the closed session.
WLDS/WEAI has requested a review when it comes to the legality regarding public comments being placed in Executive Session under the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
Requests for comment from Cross or Village of South Jacksonville Administration has not been returned.