CFJ, Ridgefield Settle Open Meetings Case
Published on May 12, 2008
In a settlement approved by the Ridgefield City Council May 8th, the city acknowledges two 2006 violations of the state’s Open Public Meetings Act and agrees to pay fees and court costs of just over $7,000.
The settlement has one unusual feature. In lieu of fines that could have been assessed under state law, the city has agreed to pay $900 to the Parks and Recreation Foundation of Vancouver and Clark County for the construction of the Ridgefield Refuge Overlook Park.
“The City of Ridgefield greatly appreciates the Center for Justice’s willingness to settle this matter, which is a remnant of a difficult time in our City’s history” Ridgefield City Manager Justin Clary said. “We are now moving forward towards a bright future for our city; one that includes a very open government.”
“This settlement will demonstrate to hundreds of other governments the importance of Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act,” says the Center’s Chief Catalyst Breean Beggs. “The Center commends the City of Ridgefield for its prompt settlement in committing to open government.”
The Ridgefield case is one of five open meeting cases against state agencies that the Allied Law Group filed on behalf of the Center for Justice in mid-March to coincide with national Sunshine Week, an event that promotes awareness about the importance of open government.
“Cases to enforce the Open Public Meetings Act can get very expensive very quickly,” said Greg Overstreet, the attorney with the Allied Law Group that represented the Center. “Ridgefield stepped up, acknowledged a past problem, and ended the case efficiently.”