FROM THE DOGTROT: The meeting that won’t end

By Diane Johnson

The September meeting of the Saltville Town Council was in open session about 80 minutes. Of course there were agenda items for closed session: “the actual and probable litigation regarding the rails-to-trails issues and to discuss the acquisition of real property for a public purpose.” No closed meeting agenda items gave any specifics as required by the Code of Virginia. 
Rails to Trails is on the agenda every month but no one is any litigation and I don’t know of any probable litigation. One brave person stood and asked about the property considered for purchase on the closed meeting agenda. She wanted to know what it was. She was ignored. They didn’t even blink. Just brushed her away like a pesky bug.  Didn’t even have the common courtesy to say that they weren’t going to answer or to attempt to justify their position.  She lost her nerve and sat down.
When the time came to go into closed session, the brave citizen again tried to get her question answered. “We have a right to know,” she said. They just looked at her. Finally the town attorney responded by saying that it was a moot point. The time limit on the offer they made had run out so there really wasn’t anything to discuss. I later checked the previous month’s minutes where this vague item had been on the agenda for closed session.  Big problem there. They had no vote when they came out of the August closed session. So when did they vote to make an offer on this property? Had to be in closed session or at some other time away from the scrutiny of the public. They are supposed to represent this public.  They are conducting the citizen’s business. No secrets allowed. All voting must be done in open session, no ifs, ands or buts.
Tuesday they did go into closed session, as usual, and the citizens dispersed to the anteroom and the porch to wait when suddenly here comes the council members leaving the chamber, by the front and side doors.  Some thought the meeting had adjourned.  It is important to note that it is not uncommon for them to quickly return to open session and begin conducting business without waiting for the public to return to the council chamber. This is about them after all. When questioned it was discovered that they had not, in fact, adjourned. Apparently a heated argument had occurred and they were leaving in disgust and/or anger.  One councilperson reported the threat of “Let’s take this outside,” exchanged between two other council members during the closed session. Comments of, “I quit” or “I’m resigning tomorrow morning” could be heard from various officials. Throw in some name calling for good measure.
The reality is that they had behaved like a bunch of children. Forget procedure. They never adjourned the meeting or even recessed it. They just took their toys and went home. They treated the patiently waiting citizens with such disrespect. All because they couldn’t control themselves. Needed a time out, they did. It was the disrespect and lack of common courtesy that shocked me the most. They only cared about themselves and their fragile egos. They were there to conduct town business in a professional and appropriate manner. There are procedures that need to be followed.
What also came out loud and clear is that they were talking about things not on the closed meeting agenda. The fracas was reported to be over questions about a council member making money on sales to the town which had never been put out for bid. An additional report was that one councilman was calling citizens from certain sections of town very unflattering names and another councilman coming to their defense. Not closed session material, boys.  I’m not surprised you want your shameful behavior hidden from public view. Do remember, though, that you are breaking the law by discussing things not on the closed meeting agenda. They plan to resume the meeting on Sept. 22.  This should be interesting to watch. They really can’t resume the meeting because it was never recessed and it certainly wasn’t adjourned.  Most important, though, will be to watch and listen when they attest that the only thing discussed during closed session was what was on the agenda. Who will have the nerve to put their signature on that?  Liar, liar, pants on fire.