MADISON COUNTY — The Madison County Board convened an emergency meeting on Jan. 13, 2025, citing statute 19 3 19 to discuss a settlement agreement in a litigated matter that led to the postponement or dismissal of a hearing earlier that day.

The board called the meeting under what the meeting’s attorney described as a statute that permits expedited meetings under urgent circumstances affecting county roads. "We've noticed an emergency meeting for today at 1 o'clock pursuant to statute 19 3 19, which under urgent circumstances allows the board to meet to deliberate on conditions affecting conditions of roads in Madison County," the attorney said.

The attorney told the board that details of the settlement were to be discussed in executive session. The board then voted to move into closed session; the transcript records the chair asking for a motion, a second being offered, and members answering "aye." The transcript does not name who made the motion or record a roll-call tally for that vote.

After the closed-session portion of the meeting, a staff member read what the transcript records as language referencing two court files: "2023 dash 1463 and 2023 dash 1464 in the special court of eminent domain of Madison County for the total sum of $100,000 inclusive of all accrued interest and direct the county's comptroller to disperse a check in the amount of $69,995 into the Madison County Court of Imminent Domain." The transcript does not show a separate, recorded public vote on that item, and does not identify the mover, seconder or a final tally for that specific reading.

The board also took two routine procedural actions in open session. Members approved adding the meeting notice to the agenda (voice vote: "Aye" recorded). They then moved to adjourn and scheduled the next meeting for Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, at 9 a.m.; the transcript records a second by "Supervisor Brandon" and a voice vote of "Aye."

Why this matters: the language read on the public record references two eminent-domain matters and specific dollar amounts related to settlement and disbursement to the court. The meeting notice cites a statute permitting emergency meetings for road-related urgent circumstances, and the board placed the settlement discussion in executive session, saying the agreement’s details should remain in closed session.

The transcript does not include text of the settlement agreement, identify who negotiated it, list funding sources for the payment, or show a recorded roll-call vote approving the payment. The board scheduled follow-up business at its next meeting on Jan. 21, 2025.

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