Members of the public packed Potter County Courthouse during the July 5th hearing. Photo via Amarillo Pioneer staff
A hearing is scheduled for 9:00 am on Thursday morning in the 47th District Court in Potter County following a “security against suit” motion by the city’s legal team. If the city’s motion is successful, Alex Fairly would be required to post $6 million. According to the city, they are requesting this as insurance in case the city is successful at defeating Fairly’s lawsuit but interest rates increase before the city is able to close on anticipatory notes.
This is the latest development in Fairly’s ongoing litigation against the city regarding funding for civic center renovations. Fairly initiated the lawsuit in April, claiming that the city’s choice of Chapter 1431 financing is simply an attempt to side-step voters who defeated the Prop A Civic Center bond in November of 2020.
“I don’t know what to do except laugh. My attorneys told me this was a possibility from the very beginning,” said Fairly in a video update. Fairly further said that, when considering the $260 million price tag of the civic center project and the additional hundreds of millions of dollars in interest, he has a hard time believing “those folks are worried about six million dollars. They may be much more worried about the trial, and the depositions, and the discovery, and the process.”
Fairly closed his video by encouraging the public to attend the hearing. Speaking about the large attendance at the July 5th hearing, Fairly said “I can’t tell you how much it encouraged my attorneys and myself as well.” Other local activists, including retired businessman and 2021 Amarillo City Council candidate Tom Scherlen also encouraged people to show up. “We need everyone to show up at the 47th district court house on Thursday morning at 9 am” said Scherlen on social media.
The Amarillo Pioneer will continue to provide updates as this lawsuit progresses.