A St. Louis resident and member of KDHX is asking a judge to force the community radio station to open its records to the public.
A suit filed in St. Louis Circuit Court on behalf of Anne Silverstein alleges the radio station failed to provide records that state law requires it to keep and that she had requested to review. It asks the court to order KDHX to release the documents.
Silverstein is asking for records related to resolutions adopted by the station’s governing board, meeting minutes, written communications to people involved with the station and financial records.
“This lawsuit arises because KDHX violated Missouri law by refusing to cooperate with Plaintiff’s request to inspect and copy corporate records to which she and all members of KDHX are entitled,” attorney Benjamin Askew wrote in the lawsuit filed Friday.
In the lawsuit, Silverstein says that her lawyer sent a letter to KDHX’s governing corporation Double Helix on July 16, requesting to review four categories of records 10 days later. No one from the station responded, the filing alleges.
“Unfortunately, we cannot comment on legal matters,” KDHX Executive Director Kelly Wells said in a statement.
Missouri law spells out the types of records that any corporation must maintain, including meeting minutes, bylaws and financial statements.
The case has been assigned to Judge Elizabeth Hogan.
Lawyers for KDHX will also defend the station against other complaints during a bench trial scheduled for Aug. 27 at the Carnahan Courthouse. Six station volunteers are asking a judge to force KDHX to recognize the election of two people to the station’s board in November 2023.
Board President Gary Pierson has said the election, held at a meeting called and presided over by station critics and not KDHX’s leaders, was improper and has no legal standing.
