EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A judge has declined to remove three Lane County commissioners as defendants in a lawsuit accusing them of breaking Oregon’s public meetings law.
But Judge Michael Gillespie ordered plaintiffs to file more specific allegations of when and how the three allegedly broke state law prohibiting secret meetings by any quorum of public officials.
The lawsuit was filed in February by former commissioner Ellie Dumdi and a retired businessman. It targets the board as a whole, as well as Bill Fleenor, Rob Handy and Peter Sorenson as individuals.
The suit claims the violations have been regular, sustained and ongoing.
The complaint asks the court to void an $80,465 county budget expenditure for five part-time commissioners’ assistants.
