Indicted Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen sues city, law director, three people he fired - Times Reporter
NEW PHILADELPHIA — Dover Mayor Richard P. Homrighausen filed a civil suit on Thursday against the city, its law director and three people he fired in December.
The substance of his complaint was unknown as of Thursday evening, as The Times-Reporter learned of the suit after court offices had closed for the day.
More:Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen indicted on 15 criminal counts for keeping wedding fees
Named as defendants are the city of Dover itself, Law Director Douglas O'Meara, the mayor's administrative assistant Eva Newsome, Service Director David Douglas and Gerald Mroczkowski, personnel and safety director.
Newsome, Douglas and Mroczkowski returned to work at Dover City Hall on March 25 after the State Personnel Board of Review approved an agreement between the city and the employees that returned them to their former positions. The employees alleged that Homrighausen violated whistleblower statutes by firing them on Dec. 21 because they provided testimony during a council investigation last year into the mayor's conduct.
Law Director O'Meara said Thursday evening that he had not seen Homrighausen's latest court filing.
Homrighausen filed the civil suit nearly a month after he was indicted on 15 criminal counts, including theft in office for pocketing fees he received for performing weddings. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges: theft in office; having an unlawful interest in a public contract; six counts of filing incomplete, false, and fraudulent tax returns; four counts of soliciting improper compensation; two counts of dereliction of duty; and representation by a public official or employee.
A special prosecutor with the state auditor's office has taken steps to have Homrighausen suspended from office until criminal charges filed against him are resolved.
In addition to the criminal case against Homrighausen, a suit is pending in Tuscarawas County Common Plea Court involving Dover Chemical Corp., the city of Dover and O'Meara over issues involving electrical service from the municipal-owned Dover Light & Power.
The company alleges that city officials have made "false, inflammatory statements" about Dover Chemical.
O’Meara has charged that employees of Dover Light & Power's Electric Field Division have been maintaining and upgrading the lines and equipment inside Dover Chemical, in violation of an ordinance passed by council in 1975.
This is a developing story. More information will be posted at www.timesreporter.com after it becomes available.
source: https://www.timesreporter.com/story/news/2022/04/07/indicted-dover-mayor-sues-city-law-director-3-employees-he-fired/9504234002/
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