If you have been following the city news lately, there has been no Mayor's veto of the 2018 budget presented to our Council clerk and city hall is open. Operations continue as normal, as far as I can tell.
In other news, today the court ruled in favor of the defendant, City Council and the City of Willoughby Hills, on most of the cases filed against us by the Mayor and Bob Weger as a taxpayer, the former law director Lobe and the current prosecutor Germano. Dismissed were demands of indemnification of the former law director, to derail the process to decide on the prosecutor's position, and if there was a violation of open meetings act, All ruled in favor of your Council. and the City The legislative authority plays no role in the appointment of a law director, the court ruled. Therefore, the City currently has no law director. Court agreed that what I and most all of Council has saying since September; the Mayor needs to produce a person as a law director and department head in which four members will confirm. We followed legal advice that Council could create the legislation to temporarily fill the role, and the legal minds are thinking about an appeal. However, for now, the City has no law director. The Court acknowledged there was a significant reason for Council to create the legislation in good faith, however our city Charter is the authority. Should we add something to the Charter to address this issue? For example now, if there is a vacancy on Council, if the Council doesn't fill the spot the Mayor can appoint in 30 days. It is simply irresponsible for the Mayor to sit on an appointment, hide resumes from council, and not work collaboratively with the legislative body. The visiting Judge ruled that neither the Mayor nor the Council has the sole authority to appoint an Acting Law Director or other Acting Department Head. The only way to appoint a Law Director is appointment by the Mayor with confirmation by a majority vote of Council. In denying the remaining claims by Germano and Lobe against Willoughby Hills, it is time for Mayor Weger to work with Council and stop these lawsuits. Council certainly could have sued the Mayor for his "appointments" but chose not too. Reasonable people try to work together in public bodies, they do not resort to lawsuits. Now Bob Weger, as a private citizen who filed the suit wants us, the taxpayers, to pay for his attorney and all the costs to file his lawsuit. I again asked - no implored him- at our last meeting to provide the names of credible candidates for Law Director who can have four votes to be confirmed. Work together, stop going to court for negative publicity of our city, and do your job. Most residents agree on these simple points. Comments are closed.
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Dave's Notes from the MeetingsThis is an effort to keep my constituents informed, check this page for updates. Archives
January 2020
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