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A Lyons Township board meeting took a tense turn when Trustee Donna McDonald and Clerk Elyse Hoffenberg engaged in a heated exchange over the release of closed-session minutes.
“I have a question for you. When can we expect the minutes from the closed-session meeting?” McDonald asked Hoffenberg during the February 11 meeting.
The meeting in question took place several months ago, Supervisor Christopher Getty said later.
“I don’t get to choose (when). The supervisor does. You tell me,” Hoffenberg replied.
After Hoffenberg laughed, McDonald responded, “I don’t find this very funny.”
When McDonald asked if the minutes had been typed up. Hoffenberg said they had.
“Talk to your supervisor. I’m just the clerk,” Hoffenberg said.
“You’re supposed to prepare the minutes,” McDonald replied.
“I do prepare the minutes, and I did prepare the minutes,” Hoffenberg said. “I prepare the minutes. I don’t get to release them.”
McDonald said, “I just wonder when we can expect them.”
Hoffenberg responded, “Talk to your attorney. I’ll be talking to mine.”
After the meeting, both had little to say.
“Why don’t you ask Donna?” Hoffenberg said. “I did the minutes.”
McDonald declined to comment.
Board Attorney Matt Byrne said that when minutes of an executive session meeting are prepared, the board has to vote on whether they will be released to the public.
“The board votes to approve them and they’re still held until they feel they can be released,” Byrne said.
Since it was a closed session, Getty said he was unable to disclose the topic that was discussed.
“Everything that happened in that closed executive session is confidential and still remains confidential,” Getty said.
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