Dayton City Council cancels special meeting

DAYTON — A special Dayton City Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, January 31, was canceled on January 30. The purpose of the meeting was to convene an executive session to discuss pending litigation against the city and Council Member Laura Aukerman.

A second agenda item for the meeting was for the council to consider a request from Aukerman that the city pay her legal fees in that case, US District Court Case No. 23-2-00790.

The request was made Washington State RCW 4.96.041 and requires the council’s approval.

The public could attend or log in to the meeting virtually. However, executive sessions are not open to the public. The city has not rescheduled the meeting, and there was no reason given for cancellation.

In the lawsuit, plaintiff Teresa Eier claims Auckerman violated public records and free speech laws in the council person’s use of a Facebook page associated with her public role. The suit also alleges that the defendant deleted the page without retaining records.

According to court records, Aukerman is represented by attorney Rachelle Leigh McFetridge, Spokane.

The city is named a defendant in the lawsuit and represented by Spokane-based attorney Megan Clark.