Russell Trustees Face Backlash Over Late Special Meeting Notice
Russell Township residents raised concerns about transparency following a March 30 special meeting that was publicized at the last minute, despite being verbally scheduled weeks in advance.
Russell Township residents raised concerns about transparency following a March 30 special meeting that was publicized at the last minute, despite being verbally scheduled weeks in advance.
Residents said the lack of notice shut the public out of the township’s budget processes.
Resident Tonda Poppe questioned why the permanent appropriations meeting was not posted on the township website, even though it had been planned weeks ahead.
“Could you please tell us why the Monday meeting was not posted on the website? There was no notice of the Monday meeting to approve the 2026 budget on your website. Why did that not occur?” she asked officials.
Board Administrator Melissa Palmer said special meetings are not posted online because they are often scheduled at the last minute.
“Because some of them come up in urgent situations, emergency situations within a day, in an event, in an attempt to be even-handed, they get sent to what’s called the sunshine notice list,” she said. “If you’re on the list — anyone is welcome to be on the list — you get notified.”
Palmer later acknowledged not all meetings are scheduled last minute.
“I think (the permanent appropriations meeting) was probably (publicized) almost a week in advance,” Palmer said.
“This meeting was decided a couple weeks in advance,” Poppe responded.
Trustees had briefly discussed scheduling the March 30 during their March 19 meeting, when officials agreed to meet at 5:30 p.m. However, the sunshine notice was not sent to the notification list until March 26, according to press records.
Palmer said meeting times can still change, even when scheduled in advance.
“Did that also then affect contacting local newspapers? Because I understand that you did not meet the deadline,” Poppe said.
Trustee Chris Hare said publication deadlines limit the township’s ability to notify residents about special meetings through newspapers.
“I can’t throw it in the newspaper for you to read. It doesn’t come out til Thursday,” he added.
Palmer added sunshine notices do not often appear in newspapers.
Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous, questioned why the meeting was not published in the paper.
“I do not even attempt advertising special meetings in the newspaper,” Palmer later said. “The obligation is to let people who have requested (it to be notified) and I do, faithfully. The obligation is to notify them before the 24 hours’ notice or with 24 hours’ notice.”
“That falls as an acceptable notification under the state law that … we individually must sign up ourselves for the sunshine list?” the resident asked, noting she had requested to be added to the list weeks earlier.
Palmer said she had just received her request to be added.
Ohio Revised Code Section 121.221 (F) requires at least 24 hours notice for special meetings, a standard Russell Township officials said they follow.
“Every public body, by rule, shall establish a reasonable method whereby any person may determine the time and place of all regularly scheduled meetings and the time, place, and purpose of all special meetings. A public body shall not hold a special meeting unless it gives at least twenty-four hours’ advance notice to the news media that have requested notification, except in the event of an emergency requiring immediate official action,” the ORC reads. “The rule shall provide that any person, upon request and payment of a reasonable fee, may obtain reasonable advance notification of all meetings at which any specific type of public business is to be discussed. Provisions for advance notification may include, but are not limited to, mailing the agenda of meetings to all subscribers on a mailing list or mailing notices in self-addressed, stamped envelopes provided by the person.”
Poppe urged township officials to improve transparency going forward.
“Given the concerns about the budget carryover … the optics of not having that (meeting) more publicized to the community, I think aren’t good,” Poppe said.
