Independence Examiner, Thursday 09/26/02

Jackson County News

By James Dornbrook
The Examiner

Donna Wilson was hired by the Jackson County Legislature as a legal consultant to the Rules Committee. Wilson will look at the legal ramifications of the Legislature paying the legal bills citizens Robert WitbolsFeugen and Karen Turner accrued to obtain open records from the Office of Human Relations and Citizens Complaints.

Members of the OHRCC were found guilty of violating the Sunshine Law, but the judge in the case did not assess the plaintiffs' legal fees as part of the judgment. WitbolsFeugen approached the Legislature, asking them to the pay the $35,000 in legal bills to correct what he sees as an injustice. He said County Counselor Jane McQueeny should not be allowed to purposely run up legal bills to punish people who are seeking access to open records. McQueeny denies this was what happened.

The hiring of Wilson was passed by a 5-1-1 vote, with Legislator Dan Tarwater against and Dennis Waits abstaining. Legislators Ron Finley and Bob Spence were absent.

To reach James Dornbrook e-mail jamesd@examiner.net or call (816) 350-6322.
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