Whitley County Fiscal Court votes Wednesday to resolve long-standing lawsuit regarding two roads

The Whitley County Fiscal Court agreed Wednesday to settle a nearly seven-year old lawsuit regarding a pair of Whitley County roads.

Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. signed a proclamation declaring Wednesday, Nov. 11, as Veteran’s Day in Whitley County.

During a special called meeting Wednesday afternoon, the fiscal court met in executive session for over three hour before returning to regular session and voting to approve the terms for a settlement of the appeal of a lawsuit, which was filed by Johnny William Thomas against the fiscal court.

Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. said that the case in question involved two roads that had been on the county road list since the 1930s, but a property owner claimed those roads were not county roads.

The case had gone through various rulings some of which were in the county’s favor and some of which were not.

The county ended up filing an appeal, and Wednesday’s action will resolve it, White said.

Under the terms of the agreement, the larger of the two roads will remain a county road while the smaller of the two roads will have an easement for access, but will no longer be maintained by the county.

“I am happy to have it resolved. I hope it can lead to peace in the community, and everybody will be satisfied,” White added.

Also, during Wednesday’s special meeting, White signed a proclamation proclaiming Nov. 11 as Veteran’s Day in Whitley County, and thanked all who have served in the United States military.

In addition, the fiscal court approved the purchase of about 15 acres of land near Happy Hollow Road off Exit 11 for $123,750, and approved subsequent financing for the deal.

The property, which formerly belonged to Forest Products Inc., will be used by the county sanitation department, which is quickly expanding.

Profits from the sanitation department will be used to pay off the property over the next 10 years.

White said the goal is to use profits from the garbage service for improved services for county residents.

White said that the county hopes to eventually make the property a permanent site for the county’s dumpster days program, which involves the county offering free disposal days so people can legally get rid of old junk that the garbage man won’t take so that it doesn’t end up in illegal dumps. This includes old items, such as carpets, appliances, etc.

While dumpster days are held at different locations throughout the county usually over a three-day period each month, White said the eventual goal is to get it where people could go to the sanitation site any time during business hours, show their Whitley County driver’s license, and dispose of unwanted items.