Council Votes To Investigate Mayor

By Bruce Kettelle

At an emergency city council meeting Wednesday night Trotwood officials approved plans to further investigate the mayor’s role in the 2008 Stonehenge contract. The action is in response to the Ohio Inspector General’s investigation released Tuesday accusing the Mayor Darreyl Davis of improprieties.

At issue is his prior knowledge or involvement surrounding a $5,000 finders fee paid by Stonehenge to former city employee Sheila Edwards. Edwards introduced Stonehenge to Davis and the city. The city later entered into the contract to provide design services for a re-use plan for the former Salem Mall site.

The Mayor and council voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of city law director Stephen McHugh. The recommendations included suspending negotiations with Stonehenge for a phase II contract, a full investigation of the city’s original contract with Stonehenge, and an investigation of the Mayor’s involvement with that contract award.

McHugh cautioned that besides the city investigation the report is also being further reviewed by other agencies including: Ohio Ethics Commission, Ohio Department of Transportation (where Davis was employed), Ohio Department of Health (where Edwards was employed), City of Columbus prosecutors, Montgomery County prosecutors, and Franklin County prosecutors. Those investigations could raise additional facts or recommendations the city may want to consider.

In addition to the issues surrounding the contract Davis is likely to be reviewed by ODOT for personal calls and emails made during work hours.

Davis maintains that he has done nothing improper. He explained that he only became aware of the finders fee after the contract was awarded.

Trotwood law director Stephen McHugh and Mayor Darreyl Davis confer briefly with other council member before the start of an emergency meeting to discuss allegations against the mayor.

The release of the investigator’s report came as a surprise to vice-mayor Joyce Cameron. “I did not know about the investigation until yesterday, I was totally blindsided,” she said after the meeting. “I feel no one knows at this point how this will turn out.”

Cameron and others at the meeting said they do not know the identity anonymous tipster who caused the investigation.

Davis, like many Mayors, has detractors in the community. He was recently the target of a failed recall effort for not opposing the recently opened Greyhound Bus Lines terminal in the city. He also was criticized for his involvement in the money losing city jazz festival held several years ago.