Lawyers no-show

by Cat Urbigkit

The ongoing Wagstaff road controversy involving the establishment of a private road had been slated for an official hearing before the Sublette County Commission on Tuesday at 10 a.m., but Sublette County Clerk Mary Lankford reported to the commission that the lawyers in the case had requested a continuance, wanting a full-day hearing to be scheduled at another date, preferably in February. The lawyers didn't show up at 10 a.m., although the road viewers appointed by the commissioners did, and the commissioner's reactions to the whole thing wasn't positive.

Commissioner Bill Cramer said that the lawyers in the case need to know that the commissioners were "terribly upset they are not here for this hearing."

Commission Chairman Gordon Johnston was more blunt. He said: "This is just lawyer bullshit, it truly is."

The commission discussed its view that the case was headed back to the Wyoming Supreme Court regardless of the commission's decision, so the commission apparently didn't view the request for a full day of hearing as being reasonable.

Johnston thanked the road viewers for their work in completing a report to the commission, as well as showing up for the hearing. He suggested that the commission delay the hearing for one hour, at which time Sublette County Attorney Van Graham was slated to attend the commission meeting on another matter.

Johnston suggested that unless Graham strongly argued against it, the commission should "go ahead and hold the hearing and approve what these folks (the road viewers) came up with ... notify all the parties and the lawyers, and it's over."

Johnston excused the road viewers from staying another hour for the meeting with Graham.

But Graham advised the commissioners that they should set the date and allow the time. Graham said if the commission does not allow both sides in the dispute an opportunity to fully state their cases and present the evidence, a court could order the commission to do so.

Cramer said, "We don't like what you're saying, but we value your opinion," advising that the commission do as Graham advised. A hearing date was set for Feb. 16.