Anniston, AL -  

It's some of the most coveted land for development in East Alabama. This week there's a new legal fight between some Anniston City Council members and the Calhoun County Commission for control.

It's a story we reported first on the web.

The battle to control McClellan is being fought with law suits.

Commission President J.D. Hess proclaims, "It's time to draw a line in the sand."

A statement from the Calhoun County Commission declares it's "fed up" and intends to "go after individuals who are attempting to hold this community hostage with repetitive, childish maneuvers."

That refers to three law suits filed against the county.

Hess says, "They're just frivolous. There's nothing to them and I don't know what their thinking is but we felt ike we owe it to the citizens of this county to take a stand."

More than $100,000 taxpayer dollars funds the county's defense. Now it's filing a counter-suit against the plaintiffs to prevent further legal battles with former Anniston City Council member Stan Bennett and current members Herbert Palmore and Ben Little.

Little explains, "We sued for the simple fact that things were done not according to the law."

His questions a Circuit Court decision giving a board control of McClellan with reps from the city and county.

What's at stake is prime real estate development. Thousands of acres at the former military base sight have been transformed into the fastest growing community in Anniston.

Hess says the lawsuits are "holding up action that needs to be taken in the development of McClellan."

Little says "We are fed up with them and they need to get out of our business and let the city run their business and we can do it and we can do it in the right way."

According to the county's legal advisor the counter-suit will be filed sometime after Thursday.

Full statement from Calhoun County Commission:

"Last Friday, The Calhoun County Commission, Members of the McClellan Development Authority and others received "another" in a series of frivolous lawsuits filed on behalf of Ben Little, Herbert Palmore and Stan Bennett on the development issues associated with McClellan.

Thousands of taxpayer dollars have already been spent and will need to be spent on attorneys defending these ridiculous claims. We are fed up and it is our intent to go after the individuals who are attempting to hold this community hostage with repetitive, childish maneuvers. Our attorneys are in the process of preparing lawsuits against the people who have cost our citizens time and money in the redevelopment of properties that are of vital interest to our community.

It is time that a jury of individuals determine what the outcome of this issue should be."

 Email To Friend