All meetings and executive sessions of Council shall be public meetings or sessions open to the public, provided however, that the Council may hold executive sessions not open to the public for the following purposes:
(a) To consider the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of an employee or official of the City of Mentor; or the investigation of charges or complaints against an employee or official of the City of Mentor. Council shall not however, hold an executive session for the discipline of a member of Council for conduct relating to the performance of the member's official duties or for the member's removal from office.
(b) To consider the purchase of property for public purposes, or for the sale of property at competitive bidding, if premature disclosure of information would give an unfair competitive or bargaining advantage to a person whose personal, private interest is adverse to the general public interest. No member of Council shall use this section as a subterfuge for providing covert information to prospective buyers or sellers.
(c) Conferences with the Law Director or the Director's assistants or other legal counsel retained by the City concerning matters or disputes involving the City of Mentor that are the subject of pending or imminent court action.
(d) Preparing for, conducting, or reviewing negotiations or bargaining sessions with employees of the City of Mentor concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of their employment.
(e) Matters required to be kept confidential by federal law or rules or state statutes.
(f) Specialized details of security arrangements where disclosure of the matters discussed might reveal information that could be used for the purpose of committing, or avoiding prosecution for a violation of the law.
Minutes of an executive session shall be taken by either the Clerk of Council or a Council member and shall be open to public inspection, provided however, that the minutes need only reflect the general subject matter of discussions in the executive session.
(1969 Code 30.25)