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Spokane Valley council declines settlement offer in lawsuit over councilmember social-media posts
Summary
The Spokane Valley City Council unanimously voted to reject a settlement offered by Councilmember Al Merkel in litigation about whether his personal social-media posts about city business are public records.
The Spokane Valley City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to decline a settlement offer from Councilmember Al Merkel in a lawsuit over whether certain social-media posts on his personal accounts discussing city business are public records.
City Attorney Kelly Concrete outlined the litigation and the terms of Merkel’s settlement offer before council. The city’s suit seeks a judicial determination that posts by Merkel about city business on personal social-media accounts are public records under the Washington Public Records Act and an order compelling compliance with the council’s social-media policy, including preservation of records and production in response to public-records requests. A judge has been assigned and a hearing on Merkel’s motion to dismiss is scheduled for July 18, 2025;…
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