Mayor Perry Cancels Civil Service Commission Meeting With One Day's Notice

Mayor Jodie Perry canceled the Mansfield Civil Service Commission's regular monthly meeting one day before it was scheduled to take place, and the city has since rescheduled it for Aug. 17.

The cancellation notice, dated Aug. 12, called off the commission's Aug. 13 session but gave no reason for the change. Perry's signed notice said only that the meeting would be rescheduled at a later date, without specifying when.

No agenda for the Aug. 13 meeting was published, leaving unclear what business was delayed. Civil service commission agendas in Ohio typically cover approval of eligible lists for hiring, examinations, certifications, classification changes, position bulletins, and appeals or hearings involving personnel disputes. Any of those items now awaits the rescheduled session.

The commission oversees testing, certifications, and rules for classified city positions, and hears employee-related appeals — functions that shape who fills the public jobs Mansfield taxpayers fund. Under Ohio civil service law, municipal commissions must regulate classifications, examinations, appointments, promotions, layoffs, suspensions, and reinstatements to maintain merit-based administration.

Ohio's Open Meetings Act requires public bodies to establish a reasonable method for any person to determine the time and place of all regularly scheduled meetings. The one-day cancellation narrowed the window for residents who planned to attend the 3 p.m. session in the City Council conference room at the Municipal Building, 30 North Diamond.

The commission is a three-member body appointed by the mayor, with a secretary also serving the panel. Members serve six-year terms, and no more than two may belong to the same political party. Melanie Riggleman chairs the commission.

Residents seeking updated meeting information can check the city's calendar page at mansfieldohio.gov or contact the City Council office at 419-755-9680 and [email protected].