BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

MASSENA -- The attorney for the Town of Massena says tonight’s anticipated executive session will be legitimate because it will involve a discussion of Crouse Hospital’s financial history.

The town and hospital boards are planning to meet tonight at the Massena Community Center at 5 p.m.

They are hearing an affiliation presentation from Crouse Hospital on what they can offer.

New York State Open Meetings Law says boards may go into executive session to discuss the financial history of a particular corporation, which in this case is Crouse.

Town attorney Eric Gustafson also pointed to a section of the Open Meetings Law that allows them to hold discussions behind closed doors that may affect the value of an acquisition or real estate deal.

On Monday afternoon, MMH director of public relations Tina Corcoran cited that section of the law, but was unable to clarify why the discussion being held in public could affect the value.

Gustafson said it’s for the same reason municipalities take sealed bids, then reveal the bids after the bidding closes.

“If the discussion of real estate values wasn’t a thing for a real estate transaction, why would that be in there,” Gustafson said. “The hospital’s worth what somebody’s willing to pay for it.”