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The Virginia Freedom of Information Act allows local governing bodies to hold closed meetings in certain limited circumstances where it would not be appropriate to discuss an issue before the public. These limited circumstances include the following:
- Discussion of personnel matters, including employment,
appointments, salaries,
assignments, demotions, resignations and disciplinary actions of specific individuals,
- Discussions related to the acquisitions or disposition
of real property,
- Discussion of the potential location of a business
or industry in the community when no prior announcement has been made,
- Protection of the privacy of an individual in personal
matters not related to public business,
- Discussion of the investment of public funds, if disclosure
would have an adverse financial impact, and
- Consultation with legal counsel or briefings by staff about litigation or other specific legal matters.
To close a meeting to the public, the Board must approve a motion to enter
into closed session. This motion must identify the purpose of the closed
session, identify the subject matter, and identify the specific section
of the Code of Virginia that allows the closed session. After the closed
session, the Board reconvene in a public meeting and certify, by roll
call, that the only matters discussed in the closed session were those
items permitted by law and identified in the motion to convene in the
closed session. For any action discussed in a closed session to be valid,
the Board must vote on the matter in a public meeting.
