Politics & Government

Locked Door at Charter Review Meeting Called an Oversight

Highland Heights Mayor Scott Coleman assures future sessions will be open to public

When resident Amy Feran went to attend a meeting of the Highland Heights Charter Review Commission, she found the front doors of city hall locked, even though she could see that commission members were inside conducting a public meeting.

She said she pounded on the door and rang the doorbell, but was only allowed in when a commission member decided to leave.

Mayor Scott Coleman said the locked door was an oversight and the police officer who opened the building for the commission didn't check to ensure it was unlocked.

"It was just an accident," said Coleman, who said it will not happen again with future commission meetings. The next session is scheduled for March 8.

"The chairman of the commission now has a key," he said.

Council President Scott Mills said the unfortunate incident could have easily been avoided.

"I don't know what they were thinking," Mills said. "I put it more on the mayor. The members don't always know protocol."

What made Feran suspicious that the incident might have been more than a simple oversight was a comment Coleman made at the Feb. 8 city council meeting. Coleman said the nine members of the commission wanted to talk amongst themselves before opening future discussions to the general public. Councilwoman Cathy Murphy then questioned if commission meetings are public, and Coleman acknowledged they are.

"I think he clearly signaled that he didn't want the public to attend," Feran said.

She added that the meeting date was posted on the city's website, but not until after it had already taken place. Feran ran for council in 2009 and has been critical of the mayor, but she didn't think action was taken to specifically exclude her.

"It's not just about me," she said. "This is disrespectful to the citizen volunteers. Any action taken is void. They have to redo their work."


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