Dover council subpoenas documents for mayoral investigation

By Mitch Spinell

DOVER, Ohio - Dover's city council will be issuing subpoenas for copies of a large number of documents as part of its investigation into the conduct of Mayor Richard Homrighausen, who the council back in February requested his resignation from office.

The action, which was taken Monday during a meeting of the council's committee, will involve subpoenas for 22 different sets of documents, including:

• All emails in the mayor's inbox, sent folder, or draft mail folder from Jan. 1, 2020, to the present.
• All emails sent from the mayor to his wife, Linda, from Jan. 1, 2019, to present
• All emails sent from the mayor to his son, Nicholas, from Jan. 1, 2019, to the present.
• All emails sent from the mayor to his son, Peter, from Jan. 1, 2019, to the present.
•  All emails sent from the mayor to any of Peter Homrighausen's current or former supervisors during the period they were his supervisors. 
• Peter Homrighausen's personnel file. He is an employee of the city wastewater treatment plant and previously worked at the light plant and for the street department.
• Mayor's executive assistant Eva Newsome's spreadsheet, receipt book, and other documents related to or concerning the mayor are officiating of weddings.
• Laptop and other tech requisition requests from the mayor or his sons or other family members in 2020.
• Any and all files in Safety Director Gerry Mroczkowski's possession, custody, or control related to any investigation of any complaint from Peter Homrighausen.
• Any grievance files related to Peter Homrighausen.
• All call lists, solicitation lists, or email lists from the mayor's golf outing are in the possession, custody, or control of any superintendent or director level employee.
• All emails received by any superintendent or director level employee from Nicholas Homrighausen.
• All emails received from any superintendent or director level employee from Linda Homrighausen.
• All emails sent to the mayor's wife, Linda, by any superintendent or any director-level employee.
• The audit trail for purchase orders requiring the mayor's approval from January 2020 to the present.
• All statements from the mayor's credit card from January 2020 to the present.
• All memoranda sent from the mayor to any superintendent or director level employee from Jan. 1, 2020, to the present.
• The minutes of the city planning commission from January 2020 to the present.

• A copy of any signed labor or employment agreements that the mayor signed in 2020.

• All emails to or from any Dover Chemical employee from Mayor Homrighausen.

• All communications with directors or superintendents regarding responses to public records requests from August 2020 to the present.

• A copy of the security video for all persons entering council chambers during business hours on March 12. That was the date of a special session of the city council in which the council voted to override the mayor's veto of two pieces of legislation.

In a response to the council's actions via the Times-Reporter, Homrighausen - who is in his eighth term as Dover's chief executive - said: "I am disappointed by the actions of city council at last night’s meeting. Despite this disappointment, to the extent requested documents are public records, the mayor’s office will fully comply with the request."

Council will also issue subpoenas to seven city employees seeking their testimony at two special sessions of council planned on April 14 and 15 - both of which will be open to the public.

Thoe employees include:

Scott Jerles, parks director

Trevor Klar, water/wastewater department superintendent

Charlie Stull, superintendent of electric distribution in the city's electric distribution division

David Filippi, superintendent of the city light plant

Jason Hall, assistant superintendent of the light plant

Mike Burtscher, general services assistant superintendent

Kenny Young, general services superintendent