Judge Rules Douglas County School Board Members Violated State Law
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) -A district court judged ruled four members of the Douglas County School Board acted illegally by violating Colorado's Open Meetings Law. A Douglas County resident filed a lawsuit against Mike Peterson, Kaylee Winegar, Christy Williams and Becky Myers in February.
The lawsuit claimed Peterson met with Williams and then told three minority board members they had met privately with counsel about Wise's employment.
Judge Jerome Holmes ruled they discussed public business - specifically the decision to fire then-Superintendent Corey Wise - without the rest of the board and in private.
According to the law, a meeting of three or more board members, at which public business is discussed or any formal action is taken is a public meeting, and the board members said they followed that.
The four board members now face a preliminary injunction which would block them from meeting in private again. If they do, they could face criminal charges.