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LORDSTOWN -- Village council at its meeting Tuesday adjourned into executive session to discuss complaints filed in court by a resident questioning the legality of executive sessions called in 2021 and 2022.
However, before going into executive session, council heard from resident Mark McGrail, a mayoral candidate in the general election, who filed the complaint in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court on what he says were open meeting violations.
McGrail said too often, council discusses items in executive session that should be discussed in open session for the public.
He said discussion on getting water either from Warren or the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District for the Trumbull Energy Center should have been in public session, not executive session.
"You have held executive sessions to discuss unlawful matters such as negotiations regarding TEC, future contracts, contract negotiations for the water agreement, contract negotiations for the water agreement and contract negotiations involving Ultium Cells. There have been some discussions outside of the public view with regards to those contracts, whether it was the city of Warren or MVSD," McGrail said.
He said while he agreed that some topics were appropriate for executive sessions, others should have been held during the public meeting.
"Public discussions should have been held that this is what TEC is proposing and why it is good for the village and residents and this is what MVSD is proposing and why it is good for the residents," McGrail said. "The residents had a right to know what was discussed in those executive sessions. There is no way to prove what was said or done in executive session."
McGrail said even if he had been elected mayor, he still would have brought the complaints questioning the executive session before council.
Mayor Arno Hill said there have never been minutes kept from executive sessions. Hill said what McGrail is saying is his opinion.
Council President Ron Radtka said the executive session would be to meet with Solicitor Matt Ries to review McGrail's complaint. Radtka said there would be no action taken after the meeting.
Newly elected major Jackie Woodward also was included in the executive session because she will be mayor in 2024 as the matter continues to be addressed by council.
Ries said the complaints by McGrail will be reviewed against the Ohio Revised Code, noting there are different reasons permitted for going into executive session and these reasons fall within ORC categories.
The complaint was filed against village council regarding the legality of executive sessions held Nov. 15, 2021, March 21, 2022, May 2, 2022, and May 12, 2022.
Radtka said on the advice of the village solicitor, before entering executive session, council announces the reason and whether any action will be taken after the executive session.
He said they have announced contract negotiations and pending litigation as reasons for going into executive session.
"We specifically say the purpose for the executive session," he said.