Loveland Solicitor: City has no mayor (original) (raw)

WEBVTT YOU KNOW ANYTHINGCALL CRIME STOPPERS.6:04 ON FRIDAY MORNING.THE CITY OF LOVELANDS NOLONGER HAS A MAYOR.THE LATEST IN THE ONGOING DRAMA IN THESMALL TOWN.COLIN: HOW A CITIZENS COMPLAINTLEAD TO THE DECISION BY CITYLEADERS.ANDREW: FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS.IT HAS BEEN A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE IN LOVELANDTHE CITY HALL OVER THEPAST FEW DAYS AND THEBIGGEST SHOCK JUST AFTER>> YOU DECIDED AHEAD OFTIME -->> I DID NOT DECIDEANYTHING, SIR.YOU WERE PROPERLY SERVEDAND YOU KNEW WHAT THEPURPOSE OF THE MEETINGIS AND YOU JUST MISLEADHER.>> NO.>> YES, YOU DID.ANDREW: MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCILHAD AN ARGUMENT OUTSIDE OFMONDAY'S PETEING.THAT WAS JUST THE START.MONDAY THE MAYOR STEPPEDDOWN AS MAYOR.HE REMAINED ON COUNCILDURING THAT MEETING ANDVOTED TO PICK HIS REPLACEMENT.VICE MAYOR, ONE OF THEPEOPLE WE JUST SAW ARGUING THIS.THEN AFTER THE MEETING,FITZGERALD RESIGNED FROMCOUNCIL ALTOGETHER.THERE WAS NOT PROPERNOTICE GIVEN ABOUTMONDAY'S SPECIAL COUNCILMEETING.SO ALL OF THE ACTIONSTAKEN AT THAT MEETINGARE INVALID.THAT MEANS HE'S NOT THENEW MAYOR OF LOVELAND.THE FORMER MAYOR, MARKFITZGERALD, HE'S NOT ATTHE MAYOR EITHER.HE RESIGNED FROM COUNCILTHAT STANDS.LOVELAND CURRENTLY HASNO MAYOR AND ALL OF THISCAME UP BECAUSEFITZGERALD RESIGNED TO AVOID A RECALL VOTE THATCOULD HAVE FORCED HIM

Loveland Solicitor: City has no mayor

Mayor chosen during illegal meeting, solicitor says

The appointment of a new mayor at a Loveland City Council meeting Monday is invalid, the city's solicitor announced.Vice Mayor Angie Settell was appointed to the vacant mayor’s spot after former sitting mayor Mark Fitzgerald stepped down, but said he would continue to hold his council seat.However, Loveland Solicitor Joseph Braun said Thursday that no action taken at this meeting holds legal ground because the city did not give proper notice of the meeting as required by Loveland city law.Fitzgerald's resignation was given after the meeting adjourned, so it's legal, Braun said.As vice mayor, Settell will preside over council meetings until a new mayor is selected by council, Braun said.Fitzgerald's resignation ended an effort by some in Loveland to have him recalled, but opponents said that his resignation Monday was a game of "musical chairs.""Now they will not have the opportunity to have a recall election, and there's an engineering basically of a new government without a vote, and that doesn't seem fair," said Tim Butler.RELATED CONTENT Loveland city leaders clash in effort to recall mayor

LOVELAND, Ohio —

The appointment of a new mayor at a Loveland City Council meeting Monday is invalid, the city's solicitor announced.

Vice Mayor Angie Settell was appointed to the vacant mayor’s spot after former sitting mayor Mark Fitzgerald stepped down, but said he would continue to hold his council seat.

However, Loveland Solicitor Joseph Braun said Thursday that no action taken at this meeting holds legal ground because the city did not give proper notice of the meeting as required by Loveland city law.

Fitzgerald's resignation was given after the meeting adjourned, so it's legal, Braun said.

As vice mayor, Settell will preside over council meetings until a new mayor is selected by council, Braun said.

Fitzgerald's resignation ended an effort by some in Loveland to have him recalled, but opponents said that his resignation Monday was a game of "musical chairs."

"Now they will not have the opportunity to have a recall election, and there's an engineering basically of a new government without a vote, and that doesn't seem fair," said Tim Butler.