Ethics Commission: LCSD board did not violate open meetings act
The Mississippi Ethics Commission ruled Friday that the Lowndes County School District Board of Trustees did not violate the open meetings law when it held superintendent interviews behind closed doors, with only 15 handpicked citizens allowed to attend.
Ethics Commission dismisses Dispatch complaint against CVB
The Mississippi Ethics Commission has dismissed a public records complaint The Dispatch filed against the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau earlier this year.
CVB denies claim it did not properly provide public records
The Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Trustees unanimously approved a response prepared by board attorney Chris Hemphill to a public records complaint to the Mississippi Ethics Commission that The Dispatch filed against the CVB.
Dispatch files complaint against CVB with Ethics Commission
The Dispatch has submitted a public records complaint to the Mississippi Ethics Commission against the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau alleging the CVB failed to provide requested payroll documents and excessively charged the newspaper for what was provided.
Supes respond to ethics commission complaint
Four Oktibbeha County supervisors indicated Wednesday they have no problem with the public knowing the identities of firms that submitted proposals to purchase or lease OCH Regional Medical Center.
Dispatch files public records complaint against Oktibbeha supes
The Commercial Dispatch filed a complaint today with the Mississippi Ethics Commission questioning whether Oktibbeha County supervisors violated the public records act by not releasing requested information regarding the potential purchase or lease OCH Regional Medical Center.
Ethics Commission dismisses complaint against Lowndes
The Mississippi Ethics Commission has dismissed an open meetings complaint filed against Lowndes County.
Councilmen, Sanders subpoenaed in Open Meetings case
The city of Columbus “won’t oppose” a broad subpoena request from the Mississippi Ethics Commission, according to city attorney Jeff Turnage.
Hearing set for open meetings complaint against city
The Mississippi Ethics Commission is set to hear arguments next month over an ongoing complaint case against the city of Columbus.
City to appeal Ethics Commission case
The city of Columbus will appeal a Lowndes Chancery Court decision that found city council members violated state Open Meetings Act to the Mississippi Supreme Court.
Judge: Closed council gatherings in Columbus broke Open Meetings Act
A judge says the city of Columbus can’t hold split meetings of its city council to avoid open meetings requirements.
Miss. Justice Institute to represent newspaper in Open Meetings case
The Dispatch is seeking to take the place of former reporter Nathan Gregory in an ongoing civil case involving the city of Columbus and a violation of the state’s Open Meetings Act.
Our View: When becoming a part of the story is an obligation
As a rule, the media rarely seeks to become part of the stories they report. It is a long-established tenet of the profession that the media works best when it is an impartial observer.
Ethics commission: Aldermen violated Open Meetings Act
A hearing officer recommends the Mississippi Ethics Commission rule the Starkville Board of Aldermen violated the state’s Open Meetings Act last year by discussing a Starkville Parks and Recreation department employee’s job performance behind closed doors, a preliminary report states.
City files brief in Ethics Commission appeal
A recently-filed brief by the city of Columbus claims that the Mississippi Ethics Commission overstepped its bounds when it ruled that the mayor and city council violated the state’s Open Meetings Act.
Almost half of Oktibbeha officials’ 2013 economic filings missing
Personal economic filings for 2013 are unavailable on the Mississippi Ethics Commission’s website for nine of 20 elected Oktibbeha County officials, a survey of the site showed Wednesday.
Financial disclosures missing for 5 county officials
While all elected officials in Lowndes County have filed statements of economic interest this year for 2013 with the Mississippi Ethics Commission, filings from previous years since 2009 from three supervisors and two judges are missing from the database.
Economic filings missing for mayor, two councilmen
The Mississippi Ethics Commission’s website shows each Columbus councilman has at least one missing statement of economic interest filing since 2009, while two submissions are missing for city mayor Robert Smith and city councilman Bill Gavin.
Mayor, 2 aldermen late with economic filings
The Mississippi Ethics Commission website shows Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman and Ward 1 Alderman Ben Carver filed their annual statements of economic interest past the May 1 deadline and lists no such filing yet for Ward 7 Alderman Henry Vaughn.
Public Records Act changes sought
Mississippi Ethics Commission director Tom Hood and good government groups are asking the Legislature to give the agency more authority to enforce the state’s Public Records Act.