Opinion ID: 2622529
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: This Executive Session Exceeded the Statutory Scope Because an Unauthorized Person Was Present

Text: The majority also fails to consider that only statutorily designated persons are allowed to be present in executive sessions. The exception at hand is very specific as to its limits: A governing body may hold an executive session only to discuss with legal counsel. RCW 42.30.110(1)(i). A governing body means the multimember board, commission, committee, council, or other policy or rule-making body of a public agency, or any committee thereof when the committee acts on behalf of the governing body, conducts hearings, or takes testimony or public comment. RCW 42.30.020(2). Under this exception, the governing body is simply not at liberty to include some members of the public while excluding others. The City of Lakewood operates under a council-manager form of government, which makes the city manager and council two separate entities. See RCW 35.18.010. The city manager is appointed by the city council to serve as chief executive officer. Id. The city manager is therefore not a member of the city council, and hence not part of the governing body permitted to be present at an executive session held under RCW 42.30.110(1)(i). Cf. School Bd. of Duval County v. Florida Publ'g Co., 670 So.2d 99, 100 (Fla.Dist.Ct.App.1996) (declaring a provision which expressly allowed a governing body and its executive officer to discuss litigation matters with legal counsel in executive session was not intended to allow nondesignated personnel to be present). Without dispute, City Manager Rohlfs was present at the December 13 executive session. He was neither a member of the governing body nor was he its legal counsel. An executive session that included his presence was therefore prima facie outside the scope of the exception. This is a second proper basis to recall the city council members who met in secret.