BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON -- Leaders of Concerned Citizens of Mason are alleging that city officials' actions might have unfairly tipped the scales in favor of a group opposed to Issue 10.
Bill Ehrstine, president of Concerned Citizens, said Monday that city officials violated state law by actively backing the Citizens for All of Mason's campaign against the ballot issue.
"We consider this to be a very serious matter," Mr. Ehrstine said. "When an initiative lands on the ballot the whole environment is supposed to change. The city has to remain neutral and they certainly shouldn't be using taxpayer dollars to promote either side."
Issue 10 would halt the planned widening of Tylersville and Stitt roads. Concerned Citizens of Mason believe the widening would imperil school children's safety.
Citing the Ohio Revised Code, Mr. Ehrstine said that "no officer or employee in the classified service of the city shall . . . take part in politics other than to vote as he or she pleases and to express freely his or her political opinions."
Concerned Citizens has accused City Manager Scot Lahrmer, among others, of violating Ohio law by using city time and resources to reserve a meeting place, prepare materials, provide road maps, and even contact the media for a press conference for Citizens for All of Mason on Sept. 2.
"To do these sorts of things from your home as a private citizen is one thing, but they were on (the taxpayers') nickel when they did those things," Mr. Ehrstine said. "As public officials, city leaders cannot take a position on this and spend city time and resources to fight this. I'm just astounded that they would do this."
Mason Mayor Betty Davis vehemently denied accusations that city officials used city time and resources to support anyone. "There is no basis for their allegations and they are totally inaccurate," she said. City Engineer Richard Fair said the road maps, which show streets affected by the ordinance, were produced by an outside firm for the city and not specifically for the press conference.
City Law Director Ken Schneider said city officials have done nothing wrong.
"First of all, Scot (Lahrmer) is not a classified servant as the codes states you must be," he said. "Second, even if he were, he still wouldn't be in violation because the code states . . . that the word "politics' refers to partisan politics, as in Republican or Democrat."
Citing several court cases to back his interpretation, Mr. Schneider said city officials and council members are free to support whomever they choose. But Mr. Ehrstine, an attorney, said that none of the cases Mr. Schneider cited relate to the type of activity his group is talking about.
