San Benito County is pursuing reimbursement for $110,000 in
legal costs related to the lawsuit challenging the Spur Hotel
project. But in the meantime, supervisors have agreed to transfer
the money from the general fund reserve as they request the amount
from the hotel developers.
San Benito County is pursuing reimbursement for $110,000 in legal costs related to the lawsuit challenging the Spur Hotel project. But in the meantime, supervisors have agreed to transfer the money from the general fund reserve as they request the amount from the hotel developers.
A group of residents opposing the project – they referred to themselves as the Friends of Tres Pinos – filed the suit in late 2007 challenging its progress without a full environmental review. Supervisors before its filing had agreed to move ahead with a piecemeal review as opposed to a more comprehensive EIR.
The hotel developers – the project is now off the table – followed up by signing an indemnification agreement with the county, which contracted with the law firm Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel for the civil case’s defense.
Costs for the firm’s services initially came to $141,000 but have been reduced to $110,000 through recent talks among the parties. That is the amount supervisors agreed in a 4-1 vote Tuesday to transfer the money from the general fund reserve to pay the attorneys.
Look for the full story in The Pinnacle on Friday.
