Healthy Dubois County and City of Jasper back in court
Jasper –A hearing to determine the case management for the lawsuit filed by Dr. Norma Kreilein, Rock Emmert and Healthy Dubois County, Inc. against the City of Jasper is set to take place on May 10 at 10 a.m.
Special Judge Sherry B. Gregg Gilmore was appointed to the second hearing regarding allegations the City of Jasper held private meetings during contract negotiations with Twisted Oak CEO Jay Catasien that should have been public.
Kreilein, Emmert, and Healthy Dubois County, Inc. filed the original lawsuit in August of 2011. Special Judge Lucy Goffinet ruled in favor of the City of Jasper in January of 2012, but a three judge panel of the Indiana State Appeals Court granted an appeal filed against Goffinet’s decision based on several factors, including questioning the volunteer group meetings that were essential in working out details on the contract.
I really hope they get this over with soon, so they can get the power plant up and running and stop wasting the tax payer’s dollars. When the city wins the case I hope they make Kreilen, Emmert, and Healthy Dubois County pay the court fees.
The city reminds me of your previous quote..”Sounds like someone was drunk on power”.. Touché 🙂
I think you both are right. The city officials forced this through. Also, the residents of Jasper greatly back the new power plant. Many echo VoR call for a counter suit to recover some the tax money of the people to be used for the city.
In the end, this is a case of a small minority holding a plan the majority supports. But that is OK, because that is how the law works. The city should have been more open and transparent during this whole process. Maybe we wouldn’t be going through this right now if it has. But, this is wasting tax revenue that could be used for roads, infrastructure improvement, etc. The people are upset about this. Maybe HDC should realize this and back off once this whole thing is resolved. They made their point, the city was not transparent and those involved should be held to an account during elections or appointments. Until some brand new piece of enviromental evidence is brought to light, the people will most likely not change their opinion of the biomass plant.
Just another point of view.
Seems like someone is grasping at techinicalities to prevent something that was lost already by finding any possible excuse to question it. I’m sure if they loose again it will be refiled due to the phase of the moon during the third meeting of the council aligned poorly with the tides on the northeastern coast….