CANFIELD - A Green Township trustee is accusing the South Range Local Board of Education of a Sunshine Law violation in reference to a special meeting held last year.

According to a civil complaint filed in Mahoning County Court on December 29, 2025, the Board held a special meeting on June 9, 2025, at which it adopted a superintendent contract addendum, approved a contract extension, approved labor contracts, and accepted staff resignations.

Green Township Trustee Randy Chismar alleges that these actions were inconsistent with the meeting notices. According to the complaint, one of these notices simply referenced "acting on labor agreements," while others omitted any purpose.

According to the Ohio Attorney General's Office website, Ohio's Open Meetings Act, also known as the Sunshine Law, requires public bodies to provide the public with notice of when and where a meeting will take place.

In the case of special meetings, public bodies must also inform the public of the specific topics that will be discussed at the meeting. 

21 News has reached out to the South Range Local Board of Education for a response to these allegations and received the following statement:

"Our district was surprised to be served with a lawsuit alleging a violation of Ohio's Sunshine Law. Transparency and open government are essential to 'The Raider Way' and our board strives to comply with all legal requirements, seeking honest communication and collaboration with our community.

Our Board intends to review the allegations carefully with legal counsel and respond through the appropriate legal process.

Throughout this process, we will remain committed to conducting District business in an open and lawful manner. Our Board's focus is, and always has been, serving students, staff, and the community. We appreciate the community's understanding as legal proceedings will limit any further detailed communication regarding this matter."