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Council directs city attorney to dismiss city’s interest in lawsuit filed by Councilor Ronnie Ellis; motion passes 4-2
Summary
After clarifying the pending litigation involved a suit that Councilor Ronnie Ellis filed against the city, the council voted 4-2 to direct the city attorney to take steps to dismiss the city’s interest in that lawsuit and end appeals; Councilor Ellis recused himself from the discussion.
Council voted to direct the city attorney to dismiss the city’s interest in a lawsuit filed by Councilor Ronnie Ellis, concluding the city would not pursue the matter and instructing the attorney to take steps to have the suit dismissed.
Councilor Day moved the motion and Vice Mayor Joyner seconded. Councilors voting to direct dismissal were Mayor (name not specified), Councilor Day and Vice Mayor Joyner, and Councilor Harris; Councilor Stokes and Councilor Holloway voted against the motion and Councilor Ellis recused himself from the discussion, the clerk noted.
During debate Councilor Holloway urged the council to allow litigation to proceed so courts could determine conflict-of-interest questions and said he planned to release recordings and evidence to the public. Councilor Stokes said he understood the city attorney to have indicated no litigation was moving forward and that he wished matters had been brought to closure.
City counsel clarified the motion’s language: the pending lawsuit was brought by Councilor Ellis against the city, and the correct action for the motion was for the city to withdraw its interest and direct the attorney to obtain dismissal; if a lawsuit is dismissed, appeals and related proceedings would end.
After the roll call the clerk announced the motion passed 4 to 2. The record notes Councilor Ellis recused himself from the matter.
