East Holmes board approves settlement in Sunshine Law case

The East Holmes Local School District Board of Education approved a settlement agreement with Brian M. Ames during its meeting Friday, March 20, according to a release from the district.

The civil complaint filed by Ames involved alleged compliance issues with Ohio’s Sunshine Laws, including public notice of board meetings and the formatting of meeting minutes. The release noted this is one of more than 160 similar lawsuits Ames has filed across Ohio against local governments and school boards.

According to the district, the board approved the settlement in an effort to resolve the matter efficiently and to avoid the time and expense associated with litigation.

Ohio’s Sunshine Laws are intended to ensure public access to the work of government bodies, including school districts. District officials said they will continue to review internal processes to reinforce compliance and transparency.

“East Holmes Local Schools is committed to operating transparently and in full compliance with Ohio law,” Superintendent Erik Beun said in the release. “We will continue to review and strengthen our procedures to ensure our practices align with the law.”

The district stated it will continue to serve its students and community with integrity and is committed to strengthening its practices to ensure consistent compliance and effective governance.