Oronoco Mayor Accused Of Violating Open Meeting Law

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Oronoco, MN (KROC AM News) - The mayor of Oronoco is accused of holding numerous meetings involving city council members that violated the state’s Open Meeting Law.

The allegations are included in a civil complaint filed in Olmsted County Court by Oronoco resident Carl Krause.

He says Oronoco Mayor Ryland Eichhorst violated the law eleven times last year and twice this year.

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According to the complaint:

Eichhorst also serves as a representative on the Downtown Oronoco Gold Rush Days Committee as do city council members Lori Novak, Jim Richards, and Dana Bergner. The complaint says Eichhorst held regular meetings of the committee that included a quorum of the council at which city business was discussed.

It says state law requires “that meetings of committees of any public body be open to the public and that meeting agendas and materials are made available to the public.” The complaint says there were no public notices or published agendas involving the meetings listed in the filing. It says Eichhorst “intentionally violated Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law because even after being made aware of the issue created by holding the meetings noted above in the fashion he did, he continued to do so.”

According to the lawsuit, Eichhorst also held a city meeting with council members regarding finances related to the ongoing sewer project on October 18 and no notice was given. Krause says he was told he could not attend the meeting because it was not open to the public.

The lawsuit seeks judgment in favor of Krause and reimbursement of legal fees and other costs.