Miami County school board accused of violating state’s Open Meetings Act in new lawsuit

TIPP CITY — The Tipp City Exempted Village Schools Board of Education is being sued over allegations that it violated the Ohio Open Meetings Act.

The complaint was filed last week in Miami County Common Pleas Court by the nonprofit organization Open Government Advocates and Brian Ames.

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The complaint was filed against the board of education and 2023 members Amber Drum, Richard Manis, Sr., Theresa Dunaway, Joellen Heatherly, and Anne Zakkour.

The court documents state that the Ohio Open Meetings Act requires “public bodies to provide 24 hours’ notice of all specific meetings, and that notice must inform the public of the time, place, and ‘purpose’ of those special meetings.” These postings should be on the district’s website.

Allegations in the complaint accuse the board of failing to inform the public of the purpose of its special meetings, claiming it “rarely” posts special meeting notices on its website.

“Thus, the Board has routinely and habitually held numerous unlawful special meetings over the last two years,” the complaint stated.

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The complaint mentioned special meetings in February, June, August, September, and October of 2023 that were either not posted on the board’s website or were posted without the purpose details of the meetings.

Open Government Advocates is asking the court to issue an injunction against the board and award attorney fees and court costs.

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