HORSE CAVE — Horse Cave’s current mayor called a defamation of character lawsuit filed by the city’s former mayor “frivolous” and said it was an “attempt to interfere with city business.”
Mayor Odell Martin made those statements Monday during a press conference at city hall.
Martin took office as mayor in January 2007. Smith served as mayor of Horse Cave from Jan. 1, 1999, to Dec. 31, 2006.
When asked to comment on the lawsuit and Martin’s press conference, Smith said, “I’m not going to comment on that. If there’s any comment to be made on that, it will be made by my attorneys.”
In her lawsuit, Smith said since Martin took office “he has made statements during city council meetings implying that the former mayor and her administration had mismanaged funds during her term in office.”
She also alleges that Martin has refused to sign documents and letters that would officially close a Community Development Block Grant received by the city in 2003, implying that the former mayor and administration had improperly managed the grant.
Smith also pointed out that Martin has refused to sign off on the 2006-07 city audit based on his belief there were financial problems with the grant, as well as other grants received by the city during the former administration.
In a July 31 special city council meeting, during which council members discussed the cutting down of several trees in the Main Street Cemetery, Smith alleges that Martin accused her of being responsible for $30,000 worth of equipment that had gone missing. She also alleges that the conversation was repeated in a newsletter mailed to her home address and addressed to “occupant.” In the newsletter, Smith pointed out that Martin had asked her about missing police equipment rather than just equipment.
Smith says the alleged exchange with Martin during the July 31 meeting injured her “honesty, integrity, morality and reputation” and exposed her to “public contempt, ridicule and injury.” She also says Martin “contributed to the maliciousness of the slander when at his direction a newsletter was produced and circulated throughout the city of Horse Cave.”
Smith is asking for punitive damages because she believes Martin’s conduct to be with actual malice. She is also asking for compensation for past and future mental and emotional distress, suffering, embarrassment, mortification, humiliation and harm to her reputation, as well as payment for attorney fees. She is asking for a trial by jury.
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Former Horse Cave mayor sues Martin
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