RICHLAND — The small Franklin County town of Mesa has been ordered to pay its former mayor $175,000 to resolve a long battle over public records.
The Spokesman-Review reports a state appellate court on Thursday upheld an earlier judge’s award to former Mesa mayor Donna Zink and her husband Jeff, who sought twice that amount.
The dispute began in 2002 when the city revoked the couple’s building permit. The permit was pulled after Donna Zink ended a term on the Mesa City Council. Zink sued seeking records related to the permit and other information.
Attorney Leland “Lee” Kerr, who represents the town north of Richland, says the ruling shows the importance of taking records requests seriously.
Zink, who represents herself, says she intends to appeal because she believes a lower court erred in part of its decision.
