City of Boulder 2D – Executive Sessions

City council is asking again for permission to hold executive sessions. Ordinance 8641 lists eight matters for which an executive session could be called. Some of the matters are legal advice, transactions of “property interest,” security arrangements, and personnel matters. The ninth matter is “Any other discussion allowed by C.R.S. 24-6-402.” The eight matters listed closely mirror the list allowed by C.R.S. 24-6-402 (4) for a local public body. (C.R.S. = Colorado Revised Statutes)

Question 2D also includes this text: “Council members not present and voting for a regular or special council meeting may nonetheless participate in an executive session that is part of that meeting using remote technology.”

Recommendation: leaning for

This site has been supportive of executive sessions in the recent past (Question 2P in 2017 and Question 2B in 2014) and mildly against Question 2B in 2008 when the number of council members that would have been needed to call an executive session weren’t even in favor of the ballot measure.

The stated reasons for calling an executive session sound reasonable, but an October 7, 2024 Boulder Weekly posting in its “Voter Guide” points out that “Aurora (2023), Basalt (2020), Denver Public Schools (2023), Glenwood Springs (2023), Del Norte (2024) and Florence (2024) have all been recently been [sic] found” to have abused the option of executive sessions.

Boulder untied council pay from meeting attendance by passing Question 2M in 2021. This year’s Question 2D also could be seen as reducing the imperative of council members attending public council meetings.

Website for the For Side
No known website – Info on a proponents’ website appreciated.

Website for the Against Side
No known website – Info on an opposition website appreciated.


Approved Ballot Language
City of Boulder Ballot Question 2D
Executive Sessions

Shall Sec. 9 be amended and A NEW Sec. 21A. of the Boulder Home Rule Charter be adopted to authorize City Council to hold executive sessions as provided by state law, and implement the transition as more specifically provided in Ordinance 8641?

For the Measure ___
Against the Measure ___

Ordinance 8641 to refer Question 2D to the ballot
https://documents.bouldercolorado.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=187438&dbid=0&repo=LF8PROD2