By KRISTIE LINDEN
Mayor Matt Shorraw and Monessen City Council violated the Sunshine Act twice in January, but did not do so willfully or wantonly, according to a Westmoreland County judge.
Common Pleas Court Judge Harry Smail Jr. issued his ruling in the lawsuit filed by the Mon Valley Independent and city resident Tina O’Dell against Shorraw and Monessen that found partially in favor of both parties.
The Pennsylvania Sunshine Act requires government agencies to take official action in open, public meetings that the public can attend and where they can participate before the action is taken.
Smail ruled that the city and Shorraw violated the Sunshine Act at the Jan. 6 reorganization council meeting and found that it likely happened again at a meeting Jan. 29 when council voted to ratify the motions passed at the earlier meeting.
For that initial violation, the city and Shorraw are ordered to comply with all provisions of the state Sunshine Act in any and all future proceedings and are further ordered to attend Sunshine Act training through the state’s Office of Open Records within 30 days.
“As the Mon Valley’s local newspaper, it is our job as journalists to be a watchdog over local government,” said Stacy Wolford, managing editor of the Mon Valley Independent. “We believe government should be open and transparent, and we filed this lawsuit for the public’s right to know and to ensure that the Sunshine Act is upheld. We are grateful Judge Smail agreed with us.”
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