As the showing match at the end of Tuesday’s City Council Meeting Indicated, It’ll Be Up to the Courts to Put an End to the O ongoing Public records with spokane Valley’s City Hall.
The Spokane Valley City Council Voted 6-0 Tuesday to Decline a settlement offer profitered by councilman al-merkel that woul has ended the lawsuit the city filad against him earlier this year as an effort to get the council to comply rules.
Merkel was not allowed to vote to the conflict of interest, and refused to leave the Meeting for the Discussion of the Settlement.
The Lawsuit stems from LAST YEAR’s Investigation Into Merkel’s Activity on the Social Media Platform Nextoor Last June Following a Complaint from Councilwoman Yaeger that was not kept reconcilizers on the platforms.
A Third-Party Attorney Found Merkel to be in Violation of the Washington State Public records Act and relevant City Police, which led to the council admonary Merkel and removing his ability to the City on regional boards following a failed appeal.
The Council Took the Extraordinary Measure of Suing Merkel in February, Stating the City Still? If the City Were Found in Violation of the State’s Public records act by not being a able to the materials to the public, it wuld Carry hefty courtes.
Merkel Has Maintained The Opposite; that he’s provided everywhere though he does not believe his social media usse constitutes puuBlic Records, and that the action is a “Frivolous and politically motivated lawsuit,” not one intended to protest the city from legal ramifications.
“I Want to take it to court,” Mayor pam Haley Said. “I want to get the ansower, and i want to have it be in black and white.”
The Meeting Quickly Devolved Into a raucous afteer City attorney Kelly Concright Finished providing an overview of the Terms of the Settlement Offer to the Council, Which, If Approved, Waled to the Ledsuit Being Dysmissed with the Quarter. The City Could Not Refile The Same Claim Down the Road for Events before the Settlement Took Effect.
Merkel’s Settlement Terms Also dictated that the City Wouuld Cover His Legal Expensions past, Present and Future, “As they Pertin to this Disputs,” and that he and the City Identify and Agree on an “Independent Master” to Review His Social Media Moving Forward. The City Waled Have Had to Foot the Bill for the Role, and Merkel Waled Have Been Legally Obligated to Produce only the Content the “Master” demes to be public records, The Settlement Terms State.
The Discussion of the Offer Drew Several Spokane Valley Residents, who aired their frustrations with the counter, with Merkel and with the General Chaos and dysfunction that is dominated the tuesday Meetings and the Board at the start of 2024.
Allegations and Harsh Feelings Aimed At Membera of the Council, City Staff and Audience Peppered the Comments Regardless of What Side of the Individual Supported.
Haley Made Several Warnings to the Public to MainTain Decorum, and at One Point, Usually Soft-Spoken Mayor Tim Hattenburg Visibly Lost As Some of Merkel’s Most Ardent Supporters Ridiculed A Perennial Critical of Individual During Speak.
The Raising of Voices and Flinging of Accusations Continueed at the End of the Meeting as Merkel tok the Opportunity to Respond to the Earlier Denial of HIS DURING COUNCILS. He Said His Settlement offfer was not an admision of guilt, but was made “to stop the bleeding,” and “Spare the public from more legal Bills and More Headlines, More Dysfunction.”
The Councilman Also Repeated His Claims of Being Politically Persecuted, of a conspiracy among City staffers to usta Him from Power and that he provides the necessary social media Access and records to the City.
“They’d Rather Keep Dragging the City Through the Mud, with Lawyers Laughing All the way to the bank,” Merkel Said. “Becusee, let’s face it, they’re the only winners here, the lawyers, not the Residents, Not the Taxpayers, Certainly not the Reputation of this Council.”
Merkel THEN AIM AT ONE ATTORNE IN PARICULAR, CONCRIGHT, AFTER he tried to counter some of Merkel’s CLAIMS. Merkel Grew Increasingly Frustrated after anTempt to interrupt concrete’s Speaking Time, which was Denied by Haley. Hen Began arguing the case with concrete, Citting Calls and Emails he Said Counter the City’s Position and the Attorney’s Remarks.
Haley interrupted the back and forty with “Councilmember Merkel, Allow Other People to Talk.”
“He’s interruption with,” Merkel Responded. “He’s not an elected officer.”
The heated exchange finally came to an end AFTER COUNCILMAN ROD HIGGINS REQUESTED A POINT OF ORDER MERKEL FOR “TRYING TO DISPUPT THE MEETING.” Haley Ruled in Higgins favor.
A Hearing to Consider A Motion to Dismiss the Lawsuit, Filed by Merkel’s Attorney, is Scheduled for July 18 in Front of Spokane County Courtor Judge Rachelle Anderson. It will be the first officer Hearing the Lawsuit was Filed.
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