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Public commenters press FOIA requests and Mayor Josh Miller urges due process amid misconduct disclosures
Summary
At the May 5 Ravenswood council meeting public speakers raised FOIA and audit concerns about mayoral expense records, while Mayor Josh Miller submitted a written statement urging the council to follow due process after two individuals were found to have misappropriated city resources.
During the public forum at the Ravenswood Common Council meeting on May 5, residents pressed the council on transparency and public-records requests.
Mark Friend told the council he had not received FOIA responses he submitted six days earlier and raised concerns about prior audits and the absence of the Recorder/Deputy Mayor. Buddy Jones said he had submitted a FOIA request related to the mayor's credit-card statements and reimbursements and said he "brings facts to discuss." The minutes record those FOIA and transparency concerns but do not show staff responses or recorded follow-up steps.
Separately, Mayor Josh Miller submitted a written statement to the council dated May 5, 2026. In the letter, Miller said that two individuals had engaged in misconduct involving misappropriation of city resources in recent years and urged the council to ensure any disciplinary or public actions follow fair procedures. "Due process is not merely a legal formality; it is a cornerstone of responsible government," the mayor wrote. He added that continued public statements or actions that imply guilt without evidence "may create exposure to civil liability."
The council minutes show no formal disciplinary action or staff directive recorded at the meeting; the mayor's letter and public comments were entered into the record. The minutes do not identify the two individuals referenced in the mayor's letter, nor do they record any council response to the mayor's warning about legal exposure.
The next council meeting is scheduled for May 19, 2026, where residents and council members may raise these issues again.
