[nfbmi-talk] southgate suit relevent to mcb

[joe harcz Comcast]

How many settlments like this have been illegally done behind closed doors with the Michigan Commission for the Blind let alone those that the MCB commissioners didn’t even know about?

 

How, many dollars have been lost to rehab and direct services due to the activities of State Director Cannon and others over years? 

 

I think this goes to the Hill case, settlements with Ball and other agreived BEP operators, the shenigans with the ALJ Meade and countless other things. Oh, yes and how much has MCB had to spend this year defending itself from suits and other greivances?

 

The public has the right to know and Cannon, et al have the responsibility to be open, transparent, accountable just like other agencies of government. Or do they think they are beyond the law?

 

Joe

 

SOUTHGATE Resident files lawsuit claiming City Council violated Open Meetings Act

 

 

By Rene Cizio

 

SOUTHGATE — Resident Geraldine Trager has filed a lawsuit against the city for allegedly violating the Michigan Open Meetings Act.

 

The lawsuit said that during the City Council meeting Oct. 6, members discussed and agreed on the settlement of two lawsuits against 28th District Judge

James Kandrevas in an illegal closed session.

 

Kandrevas was sued by former court employees Lori Shemka and Mary Dupuie-Jarbo for wrongful termination. City officials agreed to settle both lawsuits out

of court.

 

According to information received through the Freedom of Information Act, Dupuie-Jarbo settled for $20,000 and Shemka settled for $300,000.

 

Both settlements were paid by the city’s insurance carrier.

 

The lawsuit said that the “Council violated the Open Meetings Act by discussing and settling the … lawsuits without giving the public proper statutory notice.”

 

The suit said that the settlement talk was not on an agenda, no roll call vote was taken, no minutes of the meeting were recorded and the council did not

state in the open meeting the reason for a closed session.

 

Trager asked that the decisions made during that meeting be invalidated and that city officials should act in accordance with the Open Meetings Act in the

future.

 

City Attorney Edward Zelenak said the lawsuit is frivolous.

 

“The city is confident it’s going to be dismissed and he’s (attorney Bill Clovos) incorrect in his allegations.”