Jasper settlement offer rejected by Healthy Dubois County
Jasper — Jasper Utility Service Board Chairman Wayne Schuetter reported that the city had received a rejection notice to their settlement proposal in the ongoing lawsuit brought by Healthy Dubois County.
Schuetter read from a prepared statement, “The City of Jasper is disappointed that Dr. Kreilein and Healthy Dubois County have rejected the settlement offer which was proposed by the City.
The settlement proposed by the city required that each party agree to pay its own legal fees and dismiss all lawsuits with prejudice — meaning they can’t be pursued again by either party.
Schuetter’s letter stated Dr. Kreilein and Healthy Dubois County were not willing to enter into a dialogue to discuss the differences in the settlement offer.
Schuetter finished reading from the statement, “the city remains firm in its belief that any allegations of a violation of the Open Door Law are without merit, the City also understands the benefit to all parties in reaching a settlement to end the current litigation. The City and Utility Service Board remain open to discussion of a reasonable settlement … ”
Here is the full statement from Schuetter.
Rejection of Settlement Proposal
The City of Jasper is disappointed that Dr. Kreilein and Healthy Dubois County have rejected the settlement offer which was proposed by the City.
Despite the City of Jasper’s efforts in reaching across the table, Dr. Kreilein and Healthy Dubois County were not willing to enter into a dialogue to discuss the differences in the settlement offers. Although the City remains firm in its belief that any allegations of a violation of the Open Door law are without merit, the City also understands the benefit to all parties in reaching a settlement to end the current litigation.
The City of Jasper and the Utility Service Board remain open to discussion of a reasonable settlement with Dr. Kreilein and Healthy Dubois County.
Dr. Kreilein responded in an email that, “HDC initiated dialogue in good faith, contingent upon Jasper government acknowledging the non viability of the plant, only to have its offer intentionally publicly misrepresented without remorse, and therefore rejects Jasper officials’ failure to provide a respectful, relevant response including their own accountability for illicit, evasive legal procedures, lack of foresight, and refusal to heed warnings like Candidate Seitz’s June 24, 2011 statement. In other words, stop wasting our time.”
In August, the utility service board formerly rejected a settlement offer made by Healthy Dubois County. That story is here.
If we are honest with each other, HDC only goal is to have no power plant what so ever. The city of Jasper and the Utility board wants to earn revenue from the power plant to offset inflation costs due to Washington DC and the policies coming from there. Then we all realize the lawsuit is a major hinderance in finding out if it can make money due to the climate it has created. We are barely closer to knowing what will happen to the plant, and won’t until HDC and the City of Jasper have their day in court and there is a resolution.
If it is so financially viable they would have farmers standing in line to plant the crops and power companies begging to purchase the ”GREEN” energy?
If the city would have performed adequate research into the financial, environmental and health issue to begin with maybe they would have not proceeded with the conversion of the power plant? I believe if the citizens of Jasper were given the opportunity to vote for or against the conversion this ill conceived plan would be voted down. In a major local issue such as this the people should have the right to determine the fate of the power plant. It appears it is business as usual for local officials. They complain when no one shows up for a budget hearing yet when citizens do speak out they belittle and ignore their valuable input.
I would like to thank DC Freepress for having an area to have local discussions. I am also very disappointed in the amount of posts and participation. Since there appears to very few other options for people to voice their opinion locally I would hope more people would use this venue to make their opinions known.
Some people do not voice their opinions because they are afraid of back lash, especially if it is not a popular opinion. Many of the people in this community are very closed minded and self important and feel their opinion is the only one that counts.
Well said. That is a start. The more people who speak out the less those type of people will feel they have a right to harass others.
Maybe I am missing something, but the “settlement” proposed by Jasper City officials seems to give NOTHING on the real issue? In fact, it kind of sounds like, “Shut up and we will let you shut up.” It doesn’t seem like any real efforts in “reaching across the table” were made. Good for HDC for sticking to it. I wish I had their perseverance. From a observer’s perspective (my own), they have been scoffed at and generally treated poorly by Jasper City officials since the beginning for (initially) doing nothing more than disagreeing with them. What a bunch of bullies in our city government. Shame on them for bringing the big time politics that have turned this country on its ear to our lovely small town. We have seen the moral quality of our officials, and it is, indeed, lacking.