Columbus County commissioners recess into closed session to consult attorney, discuss economic development and real estate

The Columbus County Board of Commissioners recessed its regular meeting and entered a closed session to consult with legal counsel and to discuss economic development and real estate matters under North Carolina law.

A presiding officer announced the motion to ‘‘recess regular session and into closed session in coordinates with North Carolina General statute 143-318.11(a)(3) attorney-client privilege’’ and noted economic development and real estate as additional subjects. Commissioner Floyd moved to go into closed session and Commissioner Byrd seconded. The board approved the motion by voice vote; the presiding officer said ‘‘Aye’’ and declared the meeting in closed session. The transcript does not provide an exact vote tally.

The board cited North Carolina General Statute § 143-318.11, which authorizes closed sessions for attorney-client consultations and certain economic development and real property discussions. The meeting record as provided does not include additional detail about the specific legal, economic development, or real estate matters to be discussed, nor does it state any subsequent public actions resulting from the closed session.

The closed-session motion and vote were procedural and occurred at the start of the recorded meeting segment. No public deliberation of the underlying matters appears in the available transcript excerpt. If the board takes formal actions following the closed session, those actions would normally be reported in the open meeting minutes or in subsequent public agenda items.