First, the Closed Session Category should be added either in the Agenda Template or added as a new Category inside the meeting site.

Step 1: Apply the Special Action - Closed Session to the Agenda Template

Go to Meeting Management through the eSCRIBE Portal Menu Bar.

Select the Meeting Type you want to Update, and complete the form to Add a New Category. Choose the Special Action Closed Session from the Drop Down.

State the motion to move into Closed Session. If you wish to show this motion in the Open Session Agenda/Minutes package (depending on your settings) check the option Show in Open Session.

Step 2: Give Access through the Attendee Group

When adding a Participant to a group, enable the Closed Session option for each attendee to give them access to the Closed portion of the meeting. The Closed Session still must be published to Participants, in order for Participants to access the Closed Session through the Menu Bar inside a Meeting Site.

Administrators are given access to the Closed Session by default and this setting cannot be disabled for Administrators.

Step 3: Create a Meeting

Select the Portal button at the top of eSCRIBE to go back to the Portal Home Page in order to create a meeting.

NOTE: If your meeting already exists, in order to add a Closed Session portion, go to the New button inside the meeting, and choose Category. When adding a New Category, you are able to select the option Is this Category a Closed Session? as long as the Special Action has not already been applied. If it is already enabled, see Step 4.

Step 4: Accessing the Closed portion of the meeting

Once your meeting is created, click on the Meeting Date to access the Meeting Site. In order to access the Closed session, expand the eSCRIBE Menu Bar, and choose the Closed option. This is where you would add Closed Session items as needed.

Step 5: Adding Items to the Closed Agenda

When adding items to the closed agenda, items created under the Special Action Category, will be shown on the Open and Closed Agendas, using the Open vs. Closed Title to distinguish open and confidential information. 

Entering in Minutes and Votes allow for information to be shared with the Open Agenda, using the Show in Open Session check box.

The Closed Special Action Meeting Site requires the same steps to be taken as the Open Agenda. Preparing and Publishing are the same, except that the option to publish to the internet has been automatically disabled.