This pleading comes from a claim I made against the City of Yakima and the City Council for violating Washington State's Open Public Meetings act by making a decision of public importance after conferring behind closed doors in order to reach a consensus in favor of adopting a new budgeting system. Although the subject is rather technical, its impact on the average person is is still being felt to this day. My chief complaint was that the City's actions robbed its citizens of their right to witness a debate on the desired change and to participate in the process. I won the case, but the City Council voted in favor of the change two weeks later, this time following proper procedures.