Ohio Supreme Court hears arguments in open meetings ‘bounty hunter’ case

The Ohio Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on whether violations of the state’s open meetings law should be punished by single or multiple $500 fines.

At issue before the court is a complaint by northeast Ohio resident Brian Ames against Rootstown Township, found to have illegally gone into executive session eight times in 2016.

A judge issued an injunction ordering the township to discontinue the action and levied a $500 fine as part of the injunction. Ames unsuccessfully appealed, arguing that each violation, not the overall injunction, should incur a $500 fine.

By reviewing the minutes of local government meetings, Ames discovers violations of Ohio’s Open Meeting Act. He wants a $500 fine for each infraction. In Trumbull County, Ames has sued the city of Hubbard and Johnston and Kinsman townships, court records show.

Local governments are fighting his attempts, asserting the law wasn’t created to reward open meeting “bounty hunters.”

— Mahoning Matters contributed to this report.