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Resident accuses mayor and police chief of favoritism; council declines to waive speaker rule and enters executive session
Summary
At the Dec. 16 North Royalton council meeting, resident Michael Beck accused the mayor and police chief of protecting an Orange deputy chief after a DUI arrest and demanded resignations; a motion to waive the requirement that speakers prefile a form failed 3‑3, and council recessed into an executive session under ORC 121.22(G)(1).
A North Royalton resident on Dec. 16 publicly accused the mayor and police chief of protecting a police officer from Orange after a drunk‑driving arrest and demanded their resignations, but the council declined to permit the speaker to address the meeting after a tie vote and then convened an executive session.
Michael Beck, who identified himself as a North Royalton resident from 6673 Tudor Circle, criticized how the arrest of the Deputy Chief of Orange was handled and said he had viewed the arrest video. Beck said the Mayor and Police Chief had “abdicated [their] duties” and accused them of fostering "a two‑tiered system of justice." He urged immediate resignations and warned that citizens would hold officials accountable.
When Beck asked to speak, Clerk Helen Dunlap said a speaker request form was required under Council Rule IX. Council President Paul Marnecheck asked whether the council could waive that requirement; Law Director Tom Kelly advised that the council can vote to waive its own rules. Council then voted on a motion to waive Rule IX; the motion failed on a 3‑3 vote (Yeas: Paul Marnecheck, Mary Gorjanc, Michael Wos; Nays: John Nickell, Linda Barath, Joanne Krejci; Excused: Heidi Webber), so Beck was not permitted to speak.
After the procedural vote, Council approved a separate motion to recess into executive session under ORC 121.22(G)(1) to consider the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion or compensation of a public employee or the investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee or official. Invited to that executive session were Mayor Larry Antoskiewicz, Law Director Tom Kelly, Clerk Helen Dunlap, Chief Keith Tarase, Lieutenant Cutler and James McDonnell. The executive session began at 7:28 p.m. and adjourned at 8:45 p.m.; Council reconvened at 8:48 p.m. and adjourned.
The transcript records Beck's accusations in open session but does not record any response from the mayor or police chief during public comment, nor does it record the outcome of any investigation. The record shows the council followed its written rules on permitting speakers but also notes President Marnecheck said he would ask the Rules & Ordinance committee to review the public‑comment rule in the new term.
