Lawsuit accuses five members of Cincinnati City Council of meeting in secret

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A Cincinnati Realtor is suing five members of Cincinnati City Council accusing them of meeting in secret to decide important business.

The lawsuit directly references ten pages of text messages and a conference call determining how they would handle a proposed buy-out of City Manager Harry Black.

The suit names council members Wendell Young, P.G. Sittenfeld, Chris Seelbach, Greg Landsman and Tamaya Dennard.

The suit claims that text messages between the group show the council members were deciding city business in secret. Text messages from city phones seem to show the five were working together.

“It was never my intention to do anything illegal and I don't mean to disrespect my other colleagues in any way, shape or form,” said Council Member Tamaya Dennard, who is named in the lawsuit.

“I think it's embarrassing for them that this has come out and I think that it's showing that they're not governing the way that they had promised to,” said Amy Murray, who is also on the Cincinnati City Council.

In one text, Wendell Young states "Amen! We're the new 'gang of five'. I pray we stay strong and continue to trust each other. We have the power to move this forward." In another text, Young claims the mayor will "lie in a heartbeat."

Another message from Sittenfeld reads, "I'm not looting the taxpayers because John is threatening a smear campaign. That's holding both Harry and the taxpayers hostage."

At one point, Sittenfeld suggests counseling for Black saying that Black needs to "understand his job depends on correcting certain things".

Mayor John Cranley released a statement about the accusations in the lawsuit.

"The citizens and city workforce deserve better than being managed by somebody that, according to City Council, has 'struggles' that require 'counseling.' Given the stakes of properly working city services, Council cannot hold the manager to a standard lower than a typical city employee."

The lawsuit says city business must be handled in a public meeting and seeks an injunction to keep a majority of council meeting privately.

The lawsuit stems from a feud between the mayor and the city manager, Harry Black.

Mayor John Cranley needed enough votes from council to approve a separation agreement to get rid of Harry Black.

In one message, Sittenfeld discusses conversations he's had with the city manager saying: “I've overtly told him I believe he needs to seek some sort of counseling."

“It clearly indicates that my colleague, Council Member PG Sittenfeld has been the ring leader behind a lot of the chaos that we've been experiencing at City Hall,” said Council Member Chris Smitherman.

“I'm interested in working with whoever wants to get good things done for the city. One day, that might be one group, the next day that might be another group. That's kind of how you forge progress for the city,” said PG Sittenfeld, who is named in the lawsuit.

The group also sent a letter to Mayor Cranley and Harry Black calling for a ceasefire in their battle.

Members of council who were excluded from the conversations say the ones involved violated the "open meeting" laws.

“Do I talk to five or four other members of council at the same time? Absolutely not. Because it's against the law,” said Smitherman.

The lawsuit is asking for several things, including an injunction to stop council members from conducting public business in private again.

Lawyers who filed the suit say more potential violations are likely to come to light as the lawsuit moves forward.