A lawsuit filed by former Springfield Mayor Bob Stephens is the latest action in his conflict with the Springfield Police Officers Association.
The litigation follows the SPOA alleging Stephens committed ethics violations. The complaint sent in February to Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley was referred to the Missouri Ethics Commission in March.
Last month, Stephens called for the MEC to dismiss the ethics complaint.
Through the suit filed May 2 in Greene County Circuit Court, Stephens seeks the release of documents sent to the MEC and financial damages.
Stephens alleges the SPOA is a “
quasi-public governmental body” since it engages in contracts with the city of Springfield. According to the suit, the most recent contract was a collective bargaining agreement in April 2015. As such, according to Stephens, it’s subject to the Missouri Sunshine Law for the release of public records. The SPOA denied Stephens’ Sunshine request through his attorney, James Owen, to release the documents filed with the MEC, according to a letter provided by Owen.
“As you may be aware, the Springfield Police Officers Association is not subject to Chapter 610 of the Missouri Revised Statutes. The Springfield Police Officers Association is not a governmental body as defined under the statute,” SPOA representative Ken Reynolds wrote in the letter sent to Owen by Ken Reynolds Attorney At Law PC. “It is also not a quasi-public governmental body.
“As a result, no documents will be provided per your request.”
In addition to the release of the documents, Stephens seeks attorney fees and other relief the court “deems just.” State statutes allow the court to assess a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for the failure to produce records via Sunshine requests, according to the suit.
The SPOA complaint alleges Stephens used city funds, personnel and equipment to influence the April 4 election. It specifically references a January 2016 event called the “Mayor’s Final Birthday Bash,” in which Stephens is accused of using his “official mayoral communication medium” via Facebook to advertise the ticketed event with proceeds to benefit Ken McClure’s mayoral campaign. Stephens has said there is no official mayoral Facebook page.
The SPOA also took issue with Stephens’ use of a Public Works truck in a December 2016 Christmas parade.
“The association believes it was wholly improper for the city of Springfield to incur vehicle and manpower expenses in facilitation of the gratuitous self-promotion,” the SPOA complaint reads.
Owen has said there’s no timeline on the MEC investigation.
