Four Fort Smith city directors were dismissed from a lawsuit alleging violations of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act according to a Thursday (July 31) court filing.
City Directors George Catsavis, Keith Lau, Mike Lorenz and Vice Mayor Kevin Settle were all released from the lawsuit that alleges the FOIA violation after Lorenz had called City Clerk Sherri Gard requesting two items be removed from meeting agendas. Gard then contacted all members of the Board to determine if there was adequate support to remove the items. A city ordinance passed in the 1970s allows removal of items from a meeting agenda if four directors notify the city clerk of their desire to have the item removed.
Attorney Joey McCutchen, representing Fort Smith resident Jack Swink, said Saturday (Aug. 2) that the removal of the four city directors was due to the elected officials' lack of understanding of the Arkansas FOIA law prior to the polling having been conducted by Gard. Continue>>>
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