Post by L Roebuck on Aug 4, 2006 8:28:16 GMT -5
Transpark Leaders demand info
In response to continued legal efforts to stop project, names of opponents' backers sought
By JIM GAINES, The Daily News, jgaines@bgdailynews.com/783-3242
Thursday, August 3, 2006 12:38 PM CDT
Top officials in Bowling Green and Warren County today demanded to know the names and financial backers of longtime opponents of the Kentucky TriModal Transpark, responding in part to a renewed legal effort by two opposition groups to halt the industrial project for more environmental study.
About 40 people, mostly employees of the city, county or the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, gathered on the Warren County Courthouse steps to hear Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon, Mayor Elaine Walker and Jim Hizer, who is president of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce and the Inter-Modal Transportation Authority, issue their call for public disclosure.
The groups Warren County Citizens for Managed Growth and Karst Environmental Education and Protection have opposed the industrial development for years, filing a dozen court actions. All of those suits have been defeated in court after court, but defending against them has cost area governments - and thus local taxpayers - almost $1 million in legal fees, according to Buchanon, Walker and Hizer.
Opponents have accused transpark developers of secrecy, though all ITA meetings have been open except specific litigation and negotiations for property or business, Walker said.
In contrast, the opposing groups have never completely revealed who's behind them, she said.
“What I question is, where are their decisions being made, and who is supplying the money?” Walker said.
Buchanon said the groups had been asked for a list of members several times, but had responded that their membership was informal, and that they didn't have to release a roster.
“They are the ones in the cloak of darkness,” he said. “They're hiding themselves behind environmental policy, when it's clear that they're not interested in the environment at all.”
Buchanon said that he knows of at least one local man apparently funding opponents' lawsuits, but refused to name that person. By name, he identified Bowling Green resident Jim Duffer and Oakland resident Gayla Cissell, and alluded to three others: cave researcher and Ohio resident Roger Brucker, Louisville attorney Leslie Barras and Lexington attorney Hank Graddy.
“I have no intention of releasing numbers or names,” said Duffer, president of Warren County Citizens for Managed Growth.
Full Article: www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2006/08/03/local_news/news/news1.txt
In response to continued legal efforts to stop project, names of opponents' backers sought
By JIM GAINES, The Daily News, jgaines@bgdailynews.com/783-3242
Thursday, August 3, 2006 12:38 PM CDT
Top officials in Bowling Green and Warren County today demanded to know the names and financial backers of longtime opponents of the Kentucky TriModal Transpark, responding in part to a renewed legal effort by two opposition groups to halt the industrial project for more environmental study.
About 40 people, mostly employees of the city, county or the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, gathered on the Warren County Courthouse steps to hear Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon, Mayor Elaine Walker and Jim Hizer, who is president of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce and the Inter-Modal Transportation Authority, issue their call for public disclosure.
The groups Warren County Citizens for Managed Growth and Karst Environmental Education and Protection have opposed the industrial development for years, filing a dozen court actions. All of those suits have been defeated in court after court, but defending against them has cost area governments - and thus local taxpayers - almost $1 million in legal fees, according to Buchanon, Walker and Hizer.
Opponents have accused transpark developers of secrecy, though all ITA meetings have been open except specific litigation and negotiations for property or business, Walker said.
In contrast, the opposing groups have never completely revealed who's behind them, she said.
“What I question is, where are their decisions being made, and who is supplying the money?” Walker said.
Buchanon said the groups had been asked for a list of members several times, but had responded that their membership was informal, and that they didn't have to release a roster.
“They are the ones in the cloak of darkness,” he said. “They're hiding themselves behind environmental policy, when it's clear that they're not interested in the environment at all.”
Buchanon said that he knows of at least one local man apparently funding opponents' lawsuits, but refused to name that person. By name, he identified Bowling Green resident Jim Duffer and Oakland resident Gayla Cissell, and alluded to three others: cave researcher and Ohio resident Roger Brucker, Louisville attorney Leslie Barras and Lexington attorney Hank Graddy.
“I have no intention of releasing numbers or names,” said Duffer, president of Warren County Citizens for Managed Growth.
Full Article: www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2006/08/03/local_news/news/news1.txt