Prosecutors balk at request of councilman

AKRON (AP) -- A Summit County councilman wants the county prosecutor's office to keep the council in the know on requests it gets for opinions, but prosecutors said that could violate attorney-client privilege.
Councilman Paul Gallagher of Cuyahoga Falls proposed that the office be required to provide the council with requests and the opinions that are written from those requests.
Last week, the office issued an opinion regarding Councilman Pete Crossland's involvement in awarding contracts for the Department of Jobs and Family Services. When the council asked for a copy, Assistant Prosecutor John Manley hesitated.
Conflict exists
"The larger issue is whether an attorney-client privilege exists," he said. "There's always this kind of conflict between private communication and the public interest."
But Gallagher called the protection of the documents an "ambush."
He said the prosecutor's office has gone back and forth on the issue, requiring the legislation.
The Ohio attorney general posts all opinions and requests online, Gallagher pointed out.
The council will take up the issue in committee Sept. 12.