The City of Amarillo has filed a lawsuit against the owner of a property which was utlizied by the Christ Church Camp of New Beginnings.
This week, the City of Amarillo filed a lawsuit against Melvin McEwen in relation to the Christ Church Camp of New Beginnings. Filed in the 181st District Court in Potter County, the lawsuit by the City of Amarillo alleges that McEwen allowed Christ Church Camp founder Amanda Brown-Hunter to charge residents for staying at the camp, while ignoring health and safety hazards.
Kip Billups, vice president of the Christ Church Camp of New Beginnings and a local activist, told the Amarillo Pioneer that the lawsuit filed by the City of Amarillo represents a "scare tactic" aimed to discredit the Christ Church Camp of New Beginnings.
"It is blatantly obvious that this is a scare tactic so no one will lease land to Christ Church Camp," Billups said. "Thereby allowing law enforcement to fine and jail people for the crime of being homeless."
Billups also said he believes that the City of Amarillo and Mayor Ginger Nelson could find a better use of tax dollars than suing McEwen.
"Perhaps Ginger Nelson could find a better use of our tax money than suing an indigent African-American with no electricity for helping the least of these," Billups said.
No statement on the lawsuit was readily available from the City of Amarillo. City attorney William M. "Mick" McKamie will be representing the City of Amarillo, according to the filings in District Judge John Board's court. No attorney is currently listed for McEwen.
Photo by Christ Church Camp