CORTLAND Dispute goes on over suit

The law firm has billed the city $3,940 for work on the suit.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CORTLAND -- The mayor and her attorney say they don't understand how the lawyers now acting as the city's law director can represent council members in a pending lawsuit.
Mayor Melissa Long filed suit against the seven council members March 1, alleging that her attempts to appoint a law director have been thwarted by council without just cause.
Atty. Dominic J. DeLaurentis of Boardman and Attys. Michael Angelo and Gina Kuhlman of Cleveland have filed notice with Trumbull County Common Pleas Court stating that they will represent council members in the suit.
Council hired the law firm of Johnson and Angelo of Cleveland in September to serve as temporary city legal counsel until a law director is appointed. Angelo is a partner and Kuhlman an associate in the firm.
"I believe this could be a conflict of interest," said Atty. Marc Dann, who filed the suit for Long.
Angelo disagreed. He said he believes his firm can represent the council members.
According to a city records, the law firm has billed the city $3,940 for the work on the suit. The bills indicate that the attorneys are working on a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. No motions have yet been filed.
Mayor won't sign: Long said she believes the bills are "too high" and has refused to sign the bill, authorizing its payment.
"I am not having taxpayers pay for this," Long said. "I don't think it is right."
Long noted that Dann is handling the case for free.
Long said she filed the suit because she wants to appoint a law director to replace Atty. Rob Platt, who resigned in July. Long noted that she appointed several attorneys but council has rejected all of them.
Cortland's charter states that the law director is to be appointed by the mayor with confirmation by a majority of council. The charter states that the applicant must be an attorney in good standing and have practiced law in Ohio for five years and her appointees have met those qualifications.
Dann of Liberty was one of the mayor's five appointments. The others were James Franks of Cortland, and Dan Letson, Dan Keating and Ron Marks, all of Warren.
Council members have said Franks, Letson and Keating don't have enough municipal law experience and Dann and Marks don't meet their qualifications.