Minutes of DeKalb City Council meetings can be kept confidential.

The council approved an ordinance Monday that will keep closed meeting minutes confidential.

First Ward Ald. Amy Polzin, Second Ward Ald. Michael Welsh, Third Ward Ald. Gary Wiggins and Fourth Ward Ald. Rita Tewksbury voted for the ordinance.

Fifth Ward Ald. Bessie Chronopoulos, Sixth Ward Ald. Jamie Pennington and Seventh Ward Ald. Jordan Kagan voted against the ordinance.

The ordinance proposes that “neither the Mayor, nor any council member, employee or any member of a committee, commission or board shall disclose any information which was discussed or presented at any open meeting which was closed to the public.”

There are provisions in the ordinance which allow council members to disclose information if necessary.

The council can disclose information if it votes to, if the information is necessary for a person to perform their job or if the information is disclosed to the state’s attorney for the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

“There was a definite need for confidentiality,” said First Ward Ald. Amy Polzin.

This ordinance puts into writing what was already understood and in no way hinders the public from hearing anything, said Polzin.

“It protects the negotiation process and ensures the power of negotiation is not in jeopardy,” said Polzin.

It is redundant, and basically serves no purpose, Chronopoulos said, who voted against the ordinance.

“It goes contrary to what the Attorney General says and peaks on unconstitutional,” she said.