Vicki Dishon awarded $2,500 in civil suit against Bucyrus City Council
Bucyrus resident Vicki Dishon has been awarded $2,500 in her civil suit against Bucyrus City Council.
Dishon, 1108 Hillcrest Drive, filed the civil suit against the 2020-2021 Bucyrus City Council in early January, seeking “injunctive relief and civil forfeiture” on 17 counts, each representing an occasion when she alleged council violated Ohio Revised Code section 121.22, which governs public meetings, according to a copy of the suit obtained from the Crawford County Common Pleas Court Clerk's Office.
In the suit, Dishon sought at least $8,500 in civil forfeitures — a $500 civil forfeiture on each count, “and all court costs associated and any and all other relief, at law or equity to which plaintiff is entitled.”
The case was heard on June 20 by visiting Judge William R. Finnegan, according to a judgment entry filed Tuesday and released by the clerk's office Thursday. Dishon attended the hearing and council was represented by Brian Gernert, interim city law director.
Dishon said Thursday she had not yet received her copy of the judgment entry, and did not wish to comment without having reviewed the document. Gernert could be reached for comment Thursday morning.
"Based upon the discussion, it is the judgment and order of this court that plaintiff Vicki Lynn Dishon shall recover judgment against defendant council of the city of Bucyrus, Ohio, in the amount of $2,500 plus statutory interest," the judgment entry states. The city also was required to cover court costs.
The entry also states that "all other claims in this action are dismissed with prejudice."
Suit alleged council violated open meeting laws
In the suit, Dishon alleged that in 2020, meetings of the ad hoc committee on council rules of procedure took place during council's joint regular committees meeting, though it is not a standing committee. No meeting notices were issued, which she alleged violated Ohio Revised Code.
Other allegations concerned occasions when members of council committees discussed topics during special meetings that were not included on public notices and when incorrect wording was used in a motion to adjourn into executive session.
The suit also cited a pair of meetings in early November. On Nov. 2, council President Jenny Vermillion called a meeting to order, then noted that with only four members present, council could not pass the emergency legislation that was on the agenda. The meeting quickly was adjourned, and council met to conduct that business on Nov. 4.
Gernert said he believed the Nov. 4 meeting had been “rescheduled” from Nov. 2, and council’s minutes reflect that. Dishon’s suit claimed the Nov. 4 session was a special meeting, and therefore discussion of topics not mentioned in the meeting notice violated Ohio Revised Code.
The suit also cited a lack of minutes for three meetings.
Dishon also sued city council in 2003 and 2014
Dishon, who was a clerk in the city law director's office for many years, has filed two other civil suits against council in Crawford County Common Pleas Court in the past. Both were settled out of court.
A suit filed in December 2014 alleged council had failed to properly prepare, file and maintain the minutes of several dozen committee meetings over the previous three years, according to previous T-F reports. Dishon received $20,300 as part of the settlement.
The other suit, filed against council in 2003, claimed the body had violated the state’s open-meetings law five times from 2001 to 2003 by going into closed, executive session without specifying a purpose, a violation of Ohio’s Sunshine Law. In March 2004, council unanimously voted to pay Dishon $2,700 to settle the suit, according to T-F reports.
ggoble@gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Visiting judge awards Dishon $2,500 in suit against Bucyrus council
