KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Eight of the nine Jackson County legislators were served papers from a lawsuit during Monday's meeting.

KMBC's Micheal Mahoney reported that the lawmakers are being sued by a fellow county legislator, Bob Stringfield, who is accusing them of breaking the open meetings law.

"I'm seeing, through being on the Legislature, that sometimes either people ignore this or they don't take it seriously, and I think we need to take this law seriously because we need to be open to the public," Stringfield said.

Mahoney reported that many legislators are irritated at being sued and served with the papers in public.

"It is frivolous," said Legislature Chairman Dan Tarwater. "And I really don't understand what he's trying to do by this. But then again, we don't understand a lot of things Mr. Stringfield does."

"They can say whatever they want to say. I'm pretty upfront. I'm trying to do the best I can to make sure everything is open," Stringfield said.

County Executive Katheryn Shields, who is a defendant in the same lawsuit, was also served with papers Monday.

Mahoney reported that there was talk at the courthouse about counter-suing Stringfield.