(STURGIS) - There was some debate among the Sturgis City Commission about going into closed session during Wednesday's meeting.
A request was made by the Commission to go into closed session to discuss labor negotiations and material exempt from discussion or disclosure by State or Federal Statue.
Commissioner Cathi Abbs attempted to ask a question about the material, which was the report issued following an investigation into the City Commission regarding the details surrounding the closed session by the Commissioners on April 8.
City Attorney T. J. Reed says he couldn't speak about the report in open session. Reed says the Commission's own resolution says they must go into closed session to discuss the report. He says if the Commission wants to ignore their resolution that is up to them.
Mayor Frank Perez says he wants the results of the report to be discussed in open session. Reed says it can't be done because the resolution calling for the investigation says it must be discussed in closed session. Reed says if the Commission ignores the resolution, then the Commissioners who voted for it would be in violation and subject to personal liability and there would be no qualified immunity. (LISTEN ABOVE).
After several minutes of discussion, the Commissioners voted 6-1 to go into closed session which lasted just over two hours.
The Commission then voted to accept the report, which concluded that Perez, Abbs and Commissioners Linda Harrington, Rick Bir and Marvin Smith did not violate the Open Meetings Act, nor did they violation Chapter III, Section 5 of the City Charter.
The report did find that Perez violated Chapter IX, Section 4 (n) of the City Charter and he acted in a manner inconsistent with Section 1 of the Commission Procedural Policy.