State ex rel. Freedom Communications, Inc. v. Elida Community Fire Co.

We overrule respondents’ motion to dismiss and grant Freedom a writ of mandamus to compel respondents to provide access to Chief Bailey’s investigative report and termination letters. ECFC is a public office as defined by R.C. 149.011(A), and the records requested by Freedom are public records under R.C. 149.43, Ohio’s Public Records Act.

We reject respondents’ argument that because ECFC is a private, nonprofit corporation that does not perform any function of government and is not inextricably intertwined or otherwise controlled by the townships, it is not a “public office,” as defined by…