New Dover mayor dismisses appeals of personnel decision lodged by former Dover mayor
NEW PHILADELPHIA ‒ Two civil cases filed by former Dover Mayor Richard P. Homrighausen have been dismissed in Tuscarawas County Common Court.
Dover Mayor Shane Gunnoe dismissed the complaints, which were filed by Homrighausen in Homrighausen's former capacity as mayor. With Gunnoe's appointment as mayor, he was substituted as the plaintiff.
Two appeals:Indicted Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen sues city, law director, three people he fired
Case:Homrighausen files suit against city of Dover, law director
In both actions, Homrighausen had opposed the city's reinstatement of three people he fired Dec. 21, 2021: administrative assistant Eva Newsome, Service Director David Douglas and Gerald Mroczkowski, human resources and safety director. One was a notice of appeal. The other was a motion to suspend enforcement of the order.
The employees were found to have been fired because they provided testimony during a council investigation into the mayor's conduct.
The former mayor had appealed a State Personnel Board of Review ruling that returned the employees to their jobs. Dover City Council unanimously approved the personnel agreement in February 2022.
Named as defendants in the action were the city of Dover itself, Newsome, Douglas and Mroczkowski.
The previous mayor:Justin Perkowski begins duties as Dover's acting mayor
Law Director Douglas O'Meara filed notices of dismissal on Gunnoe's behalf Feb. 9, the day after the Dover Republican Party Central Committee chose him to serve the remainder of Homrighausen's term as mayor.
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Gunnoe told Dover City Council on Monday that his first act as the city's chief executive was to ask O'Meara to substitute him for Homrighausen in the cases he had filed in his capacity as mayor.
"Doing this is not only the financially right thing to do for Dover taxpayers, but even more importantly to me it (is) also the legally and morally appropriate thing to do for both the city and our three affected administration staff members," Gunnoe said.
Judge Michael J. Ernest ordered the clerk of courts to close the case files and remove them from his pending docket on Monday.
Replacement:Republican Party seeks applications for Dover mayor
Verdict:Jury convicts Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen of six theft-related charges
On Nov. 16, Homrighausen was found guilty of theft in office and four counts of soliciting improper compensation for taking fees for performing four wedding ceremonies. The theft conviction carries a lifetime ban from holding public office. He was also convicted of dereliction of duty for failing to deposit the payments in the city treasury. He has appealed the convictions.
Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com.
On Twitter: @nmolnarTR
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Dover Mayor Shane Gunnoe dismisses legal actions of former mayor
