Executive Session

On the heals of Sunshine week where newspapers across the country highlight the need for public entities, such as School Boards, City Councils and Quorum Courts, to remain open and transparent, let’s explore the secret meetings behind closed doors, better known as “executive sessions.”

Rarely does the Calhoun County Quorum Court go into one of these closed door meetings and the Hampton City Council has done so a handful of times in the past 5-6 years and only one of these was questionable as to its legality. The School Board, however, meets regularly behind closed doors.

That being said, it is not an accusation of wrong doing but just an observation. The school board certainly has more employees to oversee than the other two combined and therefore would have a need to meet in executive session more often. I have also learned that sometimes members are just unaware of the guidelines governing public entities and their meetings.

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