A federal jury found judgment in favor of Rural Water District #1 over the City of Guthrie in a 10-plus year dispute. The water district was awarded $1.28 million in damages. However, with an expected appeal by the Guthrie city council, the court system will continue to hear the case.
Along with the financial judgment, water rights were rewarded to current City of Guthrie water customers, including Mission Hills, Silver Valley and property along Interstate 35 and Highway 33.
The next phases to be discussed is attorney fees and water lines.
The water district was seeking $3 million in damages.
“Before the case went to the jury, the Court gave judgment to Guthrie on more than 200 customers. Also, during trial, Logan-1 was forced to reduce its request for damages by almost two million dollars. Unfortunately, the remainder of the result is one with which we are disappointed,” attorney James Milton said who is representing the City.
MIlton is expected to be at Guthrie’s city council meeting on Tuesday to discuss further options. The council will then now decide if they want to appeal the court’s decision.
“Guthrie will consider all of its options carefully, including a potential appeal, and act in the best interests of its citizens and water customers,” Milton said.
City Manager Sereniah Breland did not want to fully comment on the case, but did say they could not bring certain facts to he case such as the issues between the water district and their current talks with Love’s Truck Stop.
“There were significant evidentiary restrictions,” Breland said.
In 2012, the City prevailed in the state case brought forth by the water district in which the water district sought to compel the City of Guthrie to sell them water. At that time, a judge awarded the city’s insurance company a little more than $286,000 in legal fees that was spent defending the city in the state case versus the water district. In 2014, the court awarded Guthrie approximately $600,000 in legal fees.
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