The Leland Town Council plans to move regularly scheduled closed sessions to the end of meetings after complaints about residents and town employees waiting through lengthy private discussions.
At Monday’s agenda meeting, the council agreed to place regularly scheduled closed sessions at the end of Monday agenda meetings and, when needed, regular Thursday meetings.
The council holds an agenda meeting on the Monday before its regular monthly meeting, which takes place on the third Thursday of each month. Closed sessions have typically been scheduled around the middle of the Monday meeting.
Council Member Frank Pendleton advocated for the change, saying constituents have complained about coming to meetings and then waiting an hour or longer while council meets behind closed doors.
“I think it’s disrespectful to them,” Pendleton said. “For me, I would prefer it to be at the very end.”
Moving the sessions would also allow town employees who are not needed for the private discussion to leave rather than remain while council is in closed session, he said.