Executive session is one of the most misunderstood parts of local government meetings.
When a board enters executive session, the public is asked to step out and discussion continues privately. From the outside, that moment can feel unsettling.
People often assume decisions are being made behind closed doors. That deals are being cut. Or that transparency disappears once the room clears.
But executive session exists for specific legal reasons.
Certain discussions, like personnel matters, litigation, or negotiations, can’t be handled publicly without harming the municipality or violating someone’s privacy.
What’s important to understand is that executive session is not where final decisions happen.
No votes take place.
No ordinances are passed.
No binding action can occur.
Those decisions must always happen in open session, on the public record.
In this episode of Patrick’s Poor Man’s Guide, we explain what executive session really is and why understanding it helps clarify how public meetings actually work.
