The Board of Education of Springfield School District No. 186 v. The Attorney General of Illinois

Illinois Supreme Court
Civil Court
Open Meetings Act
Citation
Case Number: 
2017 IL 120343
Decision Date: 
Friday, January 20, 2017
District: 
4th Dist.
Division/County: 
Sangamon Co.
Holding: 
Circuit court affirmed; appellate court affirmed.
Justice: 
GARMAN

(Correcting court designation.) On administrative review, circuit court reversed Attorney General's binding opinion finding violations of Open Meetings Act. School Board had met in several closed sessions to discuss possibility of entering into separation agreement with superintendent of schools. Public recital announced nature of item under consideration with sufficient detail to identify the particular transaction or issue. Board president was not required to publicly read all pages of agreement and its addenda or to enumerate key points of agreement. Public vote after public recital validly approved separation agreement. Attorney General's finding that public recital was insufficient was based on incorrect reading of Section 2(e) of Open Meetings Act. Section 2(e) does not require that recital provide explanation of terms or significance of transaction or issue. (KARMEIER, FREEMAN, THOMAS, KILBRIDE, BURKE, and THEIS, concurring.)