Mayor's son drops suit against Northfield

The suit claimed city officials and staff members violated public-records and open-meetings laws in discussions about family business interests.

Last update: January 4, 2008 - 12:02 AM

Northfield Mayor Lee Lansing's son has dropped a lawsuit that he and his father brought this fall against the city, its administrator and three City Council members.

The suit, filed in October by the mayor and his son, David, claimed city officials and staff members violated public-records and open-meetings laws in discussions about family business interests. Two weeks later, the mayor withdrew as a plaintiff, and David's wife, Heidi, added her name to the suit.

This week, the couple agreed to dismiss the case, much of which dealt with documents and council discussions about property owned by David Lansing that the city had eyed as the new site of a municipal liquor store.

"It was getting long and protracted and expensive," said Gregg Corwin, the Lansings' attorney, who added that unfavorable publicity about the suit also contributed to the decision.

David and Heidi Lansing could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Two weeks ago, the council unanimously voted to censure the mayor after an outside investigator found he abused his office to promote family interests, including the prospective liquor store site.

The council also stripped him of his City Hall office and key, though it doesn't have the authority to force him to resign. The city changed the lock on the door to Lansing's office after the mayor failed to comply with the council's order last week.

City Administrator Al Roder said he was encouraged by the move to dismiss the suit, which came without a monetary settlement between the parties. "In essence, I think it confirms the baselessness of the lawsuit as initially filed," he said.

SARAH LEMAGIE