by MATT HUGHES
J-E Editor
On May 7, Webster County Circuit Court Judge Rene Williams issued a summery judgement in the case of Leesa Ligett vs. Webster County Industrial Development Authority (IDA), ruling in favor of the IDA.
The suit, which namedthe IDA, as well as board members Steve Whitsell, Mike Farris, Ken Hamick, Herman Hawkins, Jerry Hobgood, Mark Moser and Steve Hendrix, questioned the legality of an IDA meeting held October 21, 2014. At that meeting the board voted to approve the sale of property in the Webster County Industrial Park to JEM Development for the purpose of building an apartment complex.
The suite held that the IDA violated Kentucky Open Records Law by not advertising the location and agenda of the meeting prior to the meeting date. The IDA’s counter was that the meeting was held on their long standing annual meeting date. Kentucky law does not require regularly scheduled meetings, or the content of those meetings, to be advertised.
Ligget’s attorney, James T. Skinner II, will have thirty days from the date of the judges decision to file an appeal, otherwise the judgement will be considered final.
Reach MATT HUGHES
at 270-667-2068 or
matt@journalenterprise.com
