We, the undersigned residents and taxpayers of North Vernon, Indiana, respectfully petition our elected and appointed officials to immediately withdraw the City of North Vernon as a plaintiff in the civil lawsuit currently filed against John and Cora Amis, private citizes residing in our community.

This lawsuit, which includes the City alongside a group of neighbors, alleges nuisance from barking dogs—yet video, photographic, and firsthand documentation demonstrates that the plaintiffs themselves own and house dogs that frequently bark, invalidating the basis of the complaint entirely.

We are deeply concerned that our city’s name and resources are being used to:

-Endorse a fictitious and malicious lawsuit with no objective merit,

-Engage in targeted harassment of a resident who moved into the area just months ago,

-And waste taxpayer funds on a personal dispute that does not rise to the level of a municipal concern.

The City of North Vernon has no justifiable reason to involve itself in private grievances between neighbors—especially not without verifying the accuracy of the claims. This misuse of authority erodes trust in our local government, opens the City to liability, and sets a dangerous precedent for how power can be weaponized against citizens.

We demand the following:

1. That the City of North Vernon immediately withdraws as a party to the lawsuit.

2. That any city official, attorney, or employee who supported this filing be held publicly accountable for their role.

3. That city legal resources be directed toward legitimate public concerns—not situations that appear to be private vendettas.

By signing below, we affirm our belief that this lawsuit is a harmful overreach, and we call on our city leadership to act with integrity, fairness, and respect for the rights of all residents.