A Hilltop resident has filed an action with the Ohio Supreme Court asking the court to make sure Columbus City Council holds all meetings in public.
In the action filed Tuesday, Rachel Wenning cited eight times when Columbus City Council went into executive session.
That includes one session on Jan. 6, 2025, which council said was to consider appointing someone to fill Shayla Favor's seat on Columbus City Council.
The council said that it has been a long-standing practice to go into executive session to interview candidates for a vacancy.
Wenning argued the council has violated the city charter requiring open council meetings.
"Columbus City Council has been holding...private meetings on various topics," Wenning said on Thursday. "According to the city charter, all meetings of City Council are supposed to be public."
Wenning's court action said that while Columbus city code provides exceptions for executive sessions, that is invalidated by mandatory language in the charter that requires all council meetings to be open.
Wenning asked the court to direct the council to hold all open meetings.
In response, the Columbus City Attorney's Office said in an email on Thursday: “The City appreciates the need for openness and transparency as it’s foundational to good government. We’re currently reviewing this matter before the Court and have no further comment at this time.”
Wenning is a former Greater Hilltop area commissioner and is married to political blogger D.J. Byrnes, known as The Rooster.
