Tuesday's Town Council meeting was slated to be an executive session, a meeting with the auditor hired to review the School budget. So stupid me, I stayed home for an evening. But beneath the placid surface of what should have been an uneventful meeting, strange forces were at work. The following information comes from two independent anonymous sources who were there.

For some reason, Meaghan Wims of the Newport Daily News showed up, a mere few hours after her paper published the information that the meeting was closed. The press never bothers to attend executive sessions. No reason to. Unless... Did someone drop a dime, tell Wims to expect fireworks?

The meeting started normally, with the motion to go into executive session; it was moved and seconded. But when Council President Canario said, "Comment?" Councilor Karen Gleason took off. She argued that the council had promised to be as open as possible, she said that if they went into executive session that everything said would be inadmissible in court [which, I am given to understand, is not the case, but IANAL], and she claimed that there was nothing to hide and that both parties to the suit should just lay out their case before going before a judge.

Coucilor Len Katzman (who is an attorney) explained the law and court rules, to the effect that executive session was perfectly legal, and expected by the court in situations such as this. Gleason stuck to her guns, and Councilor Peter McIntyre voiced his support.

Canario attempted to end debate, but there was a question from the audience. PCC perennial Kathy Melvin rose to interject a procedural point, Town Solicitor Kevin Gavin objected, but she got off a question about whether the Council was asking their attorney for a "Preliminary Plan," or some such language. The Council did not respond. They voted and moved into executive session.

Now all this grandstanding served only one purpose: to get this headline in the Newport Daily News: Portsmouth Town Council shuts door to meeting.

Here's the thing. That meeting was never going to be open. It wasn't advertised as open, and no one with any familiarity with RI open meetings laws would expect matters concerning litigation to be discussed in a public session. The effort to "open the meeting" was just theatrics to grab a few column-inches.

The PCC, clearly, wants to fight this one in the press rather than the courtroom. I just have to wonder who told Wims to expect a show. It couldn't have been one of the Town Council, could it? If not, then are people on the Town Council working behind the scenes with the PCC? Are there any laws about lobbying at the Town level? Do we need some?

Hat tip to one of my Constant Readers, and to an informed source. Vielen Danke.