State sues Ray County in Sunshine Law dispute
RICHMOND – After committing what may be daily Sunshine Law violations for weeks, possibly years, the Ray County Commission must face the Missouri Attorney General’s Office in court.
The state’s case against the county is narrow in scope, covering only meetings held in May.
“We’ll have to talk to our attorney before I can give you any info,” Presiding Commissioner Bob King said Friday.
The suit chides the commission for offering vague versus specific public meeting agendas.
King said he did not know much about the case.
“We’ll find out more about it when we talk to our attorney,” he said.
In the disputed meetings, commissioners chose how to distribute federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act money.
Lawson City Administrator Matt Nolker in June questioned whether commissioners acted legally and transparently when making those decisions. He cited lack of agenda information and a failure to pass a “policy for distribution” document.
“This newspaper did…