Oklahoma meetings violation charged by group

A state employees group has filed a complaint alleging the state Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Department "blatantly violated” the state’s Open Meeting Act when its board approved a plan last week to cut the agency’s budget.

The Oklahoma Public Employees Association claims the action to close several programs across the state and start a process that could lay off 100 employees was under a vague agenda item for the agency’s board.

The actions were taken under an agenda item titled "Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Monthly Financial Report.”

The state’s Open Meeting Act states all meetings of public bodies should give advance notice of "the subject matter or matters to be considered at such meeting.”

"This agency’s commissioner and board are not above the law,” said Sterling Zearley, the employees association’s executive director. "What they did was underhanded and in direct violation of the law.”

Jeffrey Dismukes, spokesman for the Mental Health Department, said, "There was no intent on the part of the board to deceive anyone.”

The employees association, which represents about 10,000 of the state’s approximately 36,000 employees, filed a complaint with the Oklahoma County district attorney’s office asking it to investigate the matter.

Scott Rowland, first assistant district attorney for Oklahoma County, said his office will look into the association’s complaint and recommendations.