The Chamber is now averaging 3 to 6 calls a day from citizens and businesses asking about the status of the Chamber and Mesa County’s legal action to challenge the validity of the charges being assessed by the Grand Valley Drainage District. As reported to the Chamber Board, a Complaint has been filed with the Mesa County District Court, and along with that Complaint, a Motion for Preliminary Injunction was filed, asking that the Court preclude the Grand Valley Drainage District from collecting any amounts it believes are due until the validity of the charges has been determined. The Grand Valley Drainage District has recently filed its Answer to that Complaint, and next week, it will be responding to the Motion for Preliminary Injunction. Upon receipt of the Grand Valley Drainage District’s Response, the Chamber and Mesa County will be filing a Reply as quickly as possible so the Motion for Preliminary Injunction is fully briefed and before the Mesa County District Court.
At that point, it is the Chamber’s understanding that the Mesa County District Court will decide whether it can issue an Order based upon the briefs that were submitted or whether a hearing needs to be scheduled on the Motion for Preliminary Injunction before an Order is issued. Given the current status of the briefing on the Motion for Preliminary Injunction, it is unlikely that we will know the outcome of that Motion before the May 31st due date for the invoices that businesses, nonprofits, and residences inside the boundaries of the Grand Valley Drainage District received.
That being said, the Chamber’s position continues to be that our organization will not pay the invoice pending a final determination as to the legality of the Grand Valley Drainage District’s actions. We will continue to update you as the case moves forward.
Click here to download full version of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce June 2016 Newsletter.