The regular meeting of the Village of Fredonia Board of Trustees Monday began late after another lengthy executive session following a workshop meeting.
According to Trustee Joseph Cerrie, a special meeting will be held within a week during which the reason for the long closed sessions will be disclosed.
The reason for the executive session was listed on the workshop agenda as "section 105(1)(f) of the Public Officers Law to discuss personnel at the department of public works, police department, and water filtration plant." At the previous meeting on Oct. 15, the same reason was given except the police department was not listed.
After the Oct. 8 workshop meeting, the executive session also delayed the start of the meeting, and the board and mayor reconvened the session following the regular meeting. Section 105(1)(f) of the Public Officers Law was also cited in the agenda, but the language was slightly different.
The agenda listed the reason for calling the private session "to discuss pending litigation and to discuss information related to a current investigation of a criminal offense that would imperil effective law enforcement if disclosed." The two sessions on Oct. 8 are believed to have totaled about two hours.
According to the New York State Library's website, conduct of executive sessions as defined by the Public Officers Law is limited to "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 (certain) enumerated purposes only, provided, however, that no action by formal vote shall be taken to appropriate public moneys," with sub-section (f) listed as "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."
Personnel present during some of the closed-door sessions have included Department of Public Works Supervisor Jack Boland, who was on vacation this week, and Chief of Police Bradley Meyers.
Cerrie said the special meeting will likely either take place on Thursday afternoon or next Monday evening. "We should have this resolved ... and will hold a special meeting, and everyone will know" the cause for the lengthy closed-door sessions and the outcome of the situation, according to Cerrie.
Notice to the public for special meetings must be given at least 24 hours prior to the meeting, unless an emergency exists. The date and time of the meeting will be announced in the OBSERVER, the newspaper of record for the Village of Fredonia.
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