A lawsuit filed by a Sheridan resident against several Grant County officials including the County Judge and members of the Quorum Court has been dismissed by a judge.
According to the Sheridan Headlight newspaper, retired Circuit Judge Grisham Phillips dismissed the suit which was aimed at stopping a proposed data center and solar farm before it was even built.
Brody Channell had filed the suit against County Judge Randy Pruitt, Circuit/County Clerk Geral Harrison and members of the quorum court, alleging they violated the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act on public meetings. Specifically, he said they violated the act when the judge and members of the Quorum Court drove to Dallas to inspect data centers there.
The JP’s had been asked to approve non-binding resolutions supporting the data center and solar farm which have been an estimated $5 to $6 billion investment in the county.
The newspaper reported that Judge Phillips told Channell that taking a trip to view something and talking about it afterward is not a meeting. Gathering background has been allowed since 2012.
Although the lawsuit has been dismissed, it can be refiled at a later date.
