The Akron City board’s Nov. 14 special meeting ended with a tie vote that prevented the board from moving into executive session to review a letter about an employee placed on leave.

Vice President Alexander called the meeting to order and recorded a 6–1 attendance. The chair asked whether there were requests to address the board and then proposed an executive session under Ohio Revised Code 121.22(g)(1) to discuss personnel matters, citing "the employment, dismissal, discipline of a public employee or official, or to investigate complaints against them." Superintendent Outley told the board the purpose was "to go over a letter that was received by the Board regarding an individual being placed on a leave" and to allow time for board members to ask questions in private.

Board member Dr. Molnar argued against going into closed session if the board would only be "receiving information," saying, "If we're just receiving information, I don't see the need to enter into an executive session." Ms. Autry and Ms. Hall said the letter and related email contained multiple items they found worthy of discussion; Ms. Hall said her understanding was that the correspondence addressed more than one person.

Ms. Hall moved to go into executive session and Ms. Autry seconded. During roll call on the motion, Ms. Sykes voted no; Mr. Alexander, Ms. Autry and Ms. Hall voted yes; Reverend Harrison and Dr. Molnar voted no. The chair declared the motion failed on a 3–3 tally, leaving the board unable to go into executive session without an additional (seventh) member present.

With no executive session, the board took up a motion to adjourn. That motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote, 6–0, and the chair adjourned the meeting at 5:38 p.m.

Votes at a glance:
- Motion to enter executive session (to review a letter regarding an employee placed on leave): Moved by Ms. Hall; seconded by Ms. Autry. Result: Failed, 3 yes, 3 no, 1 absent. (Yes: Mr. Alexander, Ms. Autry, Ms. Hall. No: Ms. Sykes, Reverend Harrison, Dr. Molnar.)
- Motion to adjourn: Result: Passed, 6 yes, 0 no.

What happened next: The board adjourned without holding a closed-door session or making any public decisions about the personnel matter. The transcript records that some items in the letter could not be discussed openly; no next steps or calendar items for further action were announced during the meeting.

Key quotes:
"It is my understanding that the purpose of this evening's executive session was to go over a letter that was received by the Board regarding an individual being placed on a leave," Superintendent Outley said when the chair explained the basis for the closed session request.

"If we're just receiving information, I don't see the need to enter into an executive session," Dr. Molnar said while urging the board to avoid a closed session if no action was planned.

The meeting lasted only long enough for the debate and votes; the board did not publicly deliberate the contents of the letter or the identity of the employee during open session.