Southern Section executive committee to meet in closed-door session

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There’s some secrecy going on in the CIF Southern Section, with lots of people saying they can’t comment about an issue facing its executive committee. On the agenda for Thursday’s committee meeting is a closed-door session to discuss a proposed CIF statewide television contract that is supposedly worth millions.

Jim Staunton, commissioner of the Southern Section, said Wednesday that he couldn’t discuss anything about the issue under orders from Marie Ishida, executive director of the CIF, because the contract is being negotiated. Ishida could not be reached for comment.

Because a potential contract is being discussed, the executive committee doesn’t need to be in open session, according to Staunton. There is speculation that the Southern Section may reject support for the contract.

My question is: Why is everyone being hush-hush? The Southern Section official who helps handle TV contracts, director of marketing John Costello, also declined comment.

-- Eric Sondheimer