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G A R E A U Michael R. Gareau Michael R. Gareau, Jr. LAW FIRM David M. Gareau C 0 M PAN Y , L . P . A . Beth A. Stehlik April 2, 2015 Via email gallom @north-olmsted.com Marie Gallo, Clerk of Council and All Members of Council City of North Olmsted 5200 Dover Center Road North Olmsted, OH 44070 Re: Comments During Audience Participation of Dennis Lambert on March 3, 2015 Dear Honorable Public Officials: I had an opportunity to have a transcript of the audience participation portion of the March 3, 2015 meeting produced for my review. The reason I went through the trouble of having the transcript produced, is that I had been told that Dennis Lambert, once again, stood up before the audience and members of council and questioned my honesty and my character. I read what Mr. Lambert said, and I was taken aback, but not surprised by what he had to say. For the last 25 years, Mr. Lambert has maligned my character at every opportunity. It is not just limited to the council meetings, but can be seen in letters to the editor, etc. By way of background, (of which most of you know) I served as Director of Law of the City of North Olmsted for 28 years. I also served as Assistant Director of Law of the City of Strongsville and Solicitor for the Village of Linndale for almost 5 years each. During those years I had an opportunity to draft many charter provisions, write hundreds of Ordinances and litigate numerous cases in all of the various courts, both State of Ohio and Federal Court. I think it would be safe to say that my background qualifies me for being somewhat of an expert in the area of Municipal Law. The basis for Lambert's ramblings had to do with my opinion that I gave as Director of Law that recommendations of the Charter Review Commission do not have to be placed on the ballot by Council. His conclusion was and is that I was "lying" because my opinion was contrary to his. Lambert loves to pontificate that he is the one who is the expert and he is the one who is right about the process and that the Charter Review Commission recommendations must go before the voters. In 1970, I joined my Uncle Patrick in the law firm in which we were partners. At the time, Patrick Gareau was the Law Director of the City of Westlake and the City of Strongsville, and I was the Assistant Law Director of the City of Strongsville and the Solicitor of the Village of Linndale. It happened that in the years 2000 and 2001 the City of Westlake was going 23823 Lorain Road,Suite 200, North Olmsted, Ohio 44070 440.777.1500 tel • 440.7770107 fax • gareau©gareaulaw.com www.gareaulaw.corn