None of you people spouting this open meeting meme understand the law.   A deliberative meeting is not open to the public for other State employees.   For example, if I met with my staff to decide what our case theory or strategy for a labor arbitration would be, the union couldn't demand to be there on open meetings grounds because any decision we made wouldn't be a final administrative determination.   Likewise, if I met with the Commissioner of Administration and the Governor to discus collective bargaining objectives and strategy, the unions couldn't demand that they be there, though in some administrations they might as well have been there.   During most of my tenure we refused to sign ground rules that kept bargaining closed to the press and public, but I believe we legally could have.   A meeting to decide what action to take would not be public.   A meeting to take that action is.