Staff report
news@wbcowqel.com
Bucyrus City Council got an unexpected and unwanted gift shortly before Christmas and it came from the city’s law clerk. Vicki Dishon filed a civil suit against the City Council, City Council president Sis Love, all current City Council members and former City Council member Dan Wirebaugh.
Dishon’s suit alleges Sunshine Law violations over inadequate records of meetings by City Council committees. Of the 96 counts contained in the document, one count stated that the city council failed to establish a reasonable method to determine the time and place of regular and special meetings while an additional count stated that the income tax credit for out-of-town workers was not set in the purpose of the Dec. 18, 2012 special Finance Committee meeting. Seventy-nine counts alleged that the city council failed to state the purpose of numerous special committee meetings between Jan. 7, 2013 and July 18, 2014. An additional 15 counts stated that the committees failed to promptly prepare, file, and maintain minutes of the stated meetings and make them available to the public. Those counts referred to special committee meetings from Dec. 18, 2012 to Sept. 2, 2014.
Dishon has requested a temporary and permanent injunctive relief on each count as well as entitling her “to a civil forfeiture of $500 and all court costs and any and all other relief, at law or equity to which Plaintiff is entitled” for each count.
Three City Council committees are meeting this evening at City Hall. The Finance Committee will meet at 6:30 followed by the Economic Development Committee and the Platting Committee.
According to court records, Dishon will be representing herself in the suit that was filed on Dec. 16. Dishon’s 2003 lawsuit against City Council was dismissed with prejudice. That civil action also accused City Council of Sunshine Law violations.
The City of Bucyrus also successfully defended itself against a civil suit filed by a Stark County man over telephone records of the Bucyrus Police Department.