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Trial Date Set for "Sunshine" Lawsuit

A trial date has been set for a lawsuit filed against several members of the Lee County Board of Supervisors over possible violations of Iowa's Open Meetings Law.

According to court records, the proceedings will get underway on Tues., Feb. 2, 2016.  The trial is expected to last three days.

The lawsuit was filed in September by seven county residents.  

Current Supervisors Ron Fedler and Rick Larkin and former Supervisor Ernie Schiller are accused of holding private, secret meetings regarding a potential vote on a measure to name Fort Madison as the lone county seat.

That vote never occurred, but the lawsuit has continued and even been expanded to include another possible secret meeting in December.

The trial will be held in Keokuk, per a recent agreement between the two sides, and be heard by a judge as opposed to a jury, which was originally requested by the plaintiffs.

Jason Parrott is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.