Since its last board meeting, notice of a lawsuit filed by the Heights County Water District Board against Board Member Pam Ellis and Yellowstone County has been served to both Ellis and the County.
Melissa Williams, Civil Litigation Chief & Attorney for Yellowstone County, is overseeing the case and representing Pam Ellis, since Ellis’ appointment serves the county.
During the last meeting of the Heights County Water District there was an expectation by District Board President Ming Cabrera that Board Member Pam Ellis would have been served with a summons notifying her of the suit. Neither Ellis nor the County had been served at that point.
Cabrera asserted that delivery of the summons would mean that Ellis was restrained by the District Court from assuming her role as a board member, even though the board had been informed earlier by County Attorney Scott Twito that their attempt to vote Ellis off the board was illegal because they did not have the authority to do so. Twito said that Ellis, who was appointed to the board by the County Commissioners, remains on the board. The other three members of the board refused to recognize Ellis as a board member during the August meeting.
As of press time, there had been no action taken by the court regarding the suit, which would seem to mean that the status quo remains – – Ellis is not in any way restrained in her role as a member of the CWDB. The board moved their meeting date, which is normally the third Wednesday of the month to Sept. 14. Their agenda does not list Pam Ellis as member of the board.
During the August water district board meeting there was mention about public information requests which Ellis said she had asked for from the District Manager Peyton Brookshire, in mid-July, to which she said she has had no response.
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