Personnel Matters
Personnel matters have been a recurring subject of closed meetings held by both the City Council and the School Board across an extended period spanning July 2024 through at least September 2026.
These sessions are convened under Virginia Code §2.2-3711(A)(1), which exempts certain personnel discussions from open-meeting requirements; following each closed session, the respective body typically certifies that only lawfully exempted matters were discussed. The most notable public outcome recorded was on January 21, 2025, when a City Council closed session to discuss personnel matters resulted in the appointment of an Acting City Manager. A November 18, 2025 transcript excerpt references welcoming "Dan Alexander," suggesting a City Manager search process concluded around that time after what a council member described as "a long process." Beyond that appointment, virtually all other closed sessions have no recorded public action or substantive outcome in the available minutes or actions reports.
The School Board has similarly convened repeated closed sessions on personnel matters, with certifications of compliance with Virginia law recorded at least for the January 27, 2025 meetings, but no public outcomes recorded for the majority of other sessions.
Still open
- Outcomes of the majority of scheduled closed sessions remain unknown, as minutes or actions reports are not yet available for many meetings (including those as recent as September 2026).
- The specific personnel matters discussed in closed sessions — other than the January 2025 Acting City Manager appointment and the apparent conclusion of a City Manager search around November 2025 — have not been publicly disclosed.
- School Board closed sessions on personnel matters from early 2025 through 2026 have no recorded outcomes; the subjects and any resulting actions are unknown.
- The September 16, September 22, October 13, October 14 (special), October 23, November 4, and November 8, 2025 City Council special meetings, as well as the August 12 and August 26, 2025 special meetings, all have no recorded outcomes for their personnel closed sessions.
What members have said
At the November 18, 2025 regular meeting, Peterson acknowledged the conclusion of a long City Manager search process, welcoming Dan Alexander, and noted the inherent tension between confidentiality requirements in personnel matters and the public's desire for transparency, stating: 'this was a long process the council has worked very very hard and I know it is frustrating to the public not to be able to have the transparency that they would like to have on personnel matters — it's one of those areas of confidentiality that we accept in our duties as elected officials.'
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
councilcommissionMinutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting, Jul 9, 2024 onward.
History
Filled dots are actions on this topic; open dots are mentions.
- Jul 2, 2024City Council · item 2Convene a Closed Meeting – Personnel Matters, Board and Commission Interviews, and Appointments
A closed meeting to discuss personnel matters was scheduled for this special meeting.
- Jan 21, 2025City Council · item 2Convene a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters.
The Council convened a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters, resulting in the appointment of an Acting City Manager.
- Jan 27, 2025School Board · item Closed SessionClosed Session – Personnel Matters
[Closed Session] The Board convened a closed session to discuss personnel matters pursuant to Code of Virginia 2.2-3711(A)(1); the Board subsequently certified that only lawfully exempted matters were discussed.
- Jan 27, 2025School Board · item 1.01Call to Order / Closed Meeting Certification
[1.01] The board convened a closed session under Virginia Code 2.2-3711(A)(1) to discuss personnel matters and certified afterward that the meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia law. [1.02] Personnel matters were discussed in closed session as authorized under Virginia Code 2.2-3711(A)(1).
passedMotion to convene closed meeting to discuss personnel matters pursuant to Virginia Code 2.2-3711(A)(1).✓ Pitches✓ Bartelme✓ Cecere✓ Hickman✓ KelseypassedCertification that the closed meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia law.✓ Pitches✓ Bartelme✓ Cecere✓ Hickman✓ Kelsey - Feb 18, 2025City Council · item 6Closed Meeting to Discuss Personnel Matters
Council entered a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters following reconvening of the special meeting. No public action or outcome is recorded.
- Mar 3, 2025School Board · item 1.02Closed Session to Discuss Personnel Matters
[1.02] A closed session to discuss personnel matters was scheduled for this meeting. No outcome is recorded as no minutes or actions report exist yet.
- Apr 7, 2025School Board · item 1.02Closed Session to Discuss Personnel and Legal Matters
[1.02] A closed session to discuss personnel matters was scheduled for this meeting.
- May 27, 2025City Council · item 2 (special)Closed meeting to discuss personnel matters
[2 (special)] The City Council convened a closed meeting at 6:00 p.m. to discuss personnel matters. No actions out of the closed meeting were reported.
- Jun 17, 2025City Council · item 2Convene a Closed Meeting – Boards and Commissions Interviews, Appointments, and Personnel Matters
Discussion of personnel matters was scheduled to occur in closed session.
- Jun 23, 2025City Council · item 2Convene a Closed Meeting — Personnel Matters, Boards and Commissions Interviews and Appointments
A closed meeting was scheduled to discuss personnel matters.
- Jul 22, 2025City Council · item Special Meeting - 2Closed meeting to discuss personnel matters
[Special Meeting - 2] City Council convened in closed session to discuss personnel matters at the 6:00 p.m. special meeting.
- Aug 12, 2025City Council · item 2Convene a Closed Meeting to Discuss Personnel Matters
A closed meeting to discuss personnel matters was scheduled for this special meeting. No outcome is recorded as no minutes or actions report are yet available.
- Aug 26, 2025City Council · item 3Convene a Closed Meeting to Discuss Personnel Matters
A closed meeting to discuss personnel matters was scheduled; no outcome recorded yet.
- Aug 29, 2025City Council · item 3Convene a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters
A closed meeting to discuss personnel matters was scheduled for this special session; no outcome is recorded as no minutes or actions report are available.
- Sep 2, 2025City Council · item 5Closed Meeting to Discuss Personnel Matters
The Council convened a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters, held in Room 339, City Manager Conference Room.
- Sep 12, 2025City Council · item 2Convene a Closed Meeting to Discuss Personnel Matters
A closed meeting to discuss personnel matters was scheduled to be convened in Council Chambers. No outcome is recorded as no minutes or actions report exist. Continuation of the closed personnel meeting was scheduled for 12:30 p.m. in Work Session Room 111. No outcome is recorded as no minutes or actions report exist.
- Sep 16, 2025City Council · item 2Closed Meeting – Boards and Commissions Interviews, Appointments, and Personnel Matters
A closed meeting was scheduled to discuss personnel matters. No outcome recorded.
- Sep 22, 2025City Council · item 2Convene a Closed Meeting to Discuss Personnel Matters
A closed meeting was scheduled to discuss personnel matters at this special meeting. No outcome has been recorded yet.
- Oct 6, 2025School Board · item 1.02Closed Session to Discuss Personnel Matters
[1.02] The School Board scheduled a closed session to discuss personnel matters at this meeting.
- Oct 7, 2025School Board · item 1.02Closed Session to Discuss Personnel Matters
[1.02] A closed session to discuss personnel matters was scheduled for this meeting; no outcome or action has been recorded yet.
- Oct 7, 2025City Council · item 6Closed meeting to discuss personnel matters
Council held a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters; no further detail recorded in the public actions report.
- Oct 13, 2025City Council · item 3Convene a Closed Meeting to Discuss Personnel Matters
A closed meeting to discuss personnel matters was scheduled; no outcome or details recorded as no minutes or actions report are yet available.
- Oct 14, 2025City Council · item 3Convene a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters
A closed meeting to discuss personnel matters was scheduled on the agenda for this special meeting.
- Oct 14, 2025City Council · item 2 (special)Closed meeting to discuss personnel matters
[2 (special)] Council convened in closed session to discuss personnel matters prior to the regular meeting.
- Oct 15, 2025School Board · item 1.02Closed Session - Personnel Matters
[1.02] Personnel Matters were scheduled for discussion in closed session at this meeting. No outcome is recorded as no minutes or actions report exist yet.
- Oct 20, 2025School Board · item 1.02Closed Session - Personnel Matters
[1.02] A closed session to discuss personnel matters was scheduled for this meeting; no outcome is recorded.
- Oct 22, 2025School Board · item 1.02Closed Session - Personnel Matters
[1.02] A closed session to discuss Personnel Matters was scheduled for this meeting. No outcome is recorded as no minutes or actions report exist yet.
- Oct 23, 2025School Board · item 1.02Closed Session - Personnel Matters
[1.02] Personnel matters were listed as the subject of the closed session scheduled for October 23, 2025.
- Oct 23, 2025School Board · item 1.02Closed Session - Personnel Matters
[1.02] Personnel matters were the stated subject of the closed session scheduled for October 23, 2025. No outcome is recorded.
- Oct 23, 2025City Council · item 2Convene a Closed Meeting to Discuss Personnel Matters
A closed meeting to discuss personnel matters was scheduled for this special meeting. No outcome is recorded as no minutes or actions report exist yet.
- Nov 4, 2025City Council · item 2Convene a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters
A closed meeting to discuss personnel matters was scheduled for this special meeting. No outcome is recorded as no minutes or actions report exist yet.
- Nov 8, 2025City Council · item 2Convene a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters
A closed meeting to discuss personnel matters was scheduled for this special meeting. No outcome is recorded as no minutes or actions report are yet available.
- Jan 13, 2026School Board · item 1.02Closed Session – Legal and Personnel Matters
[1.02] A closed session to discuss legal and personnel matters was scheduled for this meeting. No outcome is recorded yet.
- Jan 29, 2026School Board · item 1.02Closed Session – Personnel Matters
[1.02] A closed session to discuss Personnel Matters was scheduled for this meeting. No outcome is recorded as no minutes or actions report exist yet.
- Apr 27, 2026School Board · item 1.02Closed Session – Personnel Matters
[1.02] A closed session to discuss Personnel Matters was scheduled for this meeting. No outcome or vote is recorded as no minutes or actions report exist yet.
- Jun 23, 2026City Council · item 16Closed meeting to discuss personnel matters
The Council held a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters.
- Jul 14, 2026City Council · item Pre-3Closed Meeting – Personnel Matters
[Pre-3] A closed meeting was held to discuss personnel matters ahead of the July 14, 2026 regular meeting.
- Jul 16, 2026School Board · item 1.02Closed Session – Personnel Matters
[1.02] Personnel matters were listed as the subject of the closed session scheduled for this meeting.
- Jul 28, 2026City Council · item 2Closed meeting to discuss personnel matters
Council convened a closed meeting at 6:00 p.m. to discuss personnel matters.
- Aug 5, 2026School Board · item 1.02Closed Session – Personnel Matters
[1.02] Personnel matters were listed as the stated purpose of the closed session scheduled for this meeting.
- Sep 22, 2026City Council · item 17Closed Meeting – Personnel Matters
Council convened a closed session to discuss personnel matters.
Discussed alongside
Topics that come up in the same meetings.