by Evelyn Pyburn
Billings attorney, Gene Jarussi is persisting with his challenge against Yellowstone County regarding the RFP they issued for the private management of MetraPark, despite the County’s decision to discontinue the RFP (request for proposals) process. Jarussi has asked the Court for permission to file an amended complaint in which he additionally questions the process in which Yellowstone County entered into an entertainment booking contract with OVG in July 2021, and asks that that contract be declared invalid.
Jarussi initially filed suit in 13th District Court, against Yellowstone County and OVG with the complaint that two county commissioners had illegal contact with OVG during the process of seeking a private company to manage MetraPark. In response Yellowstone County informed the court that while they strongly disagreed with Jarussi’s contentions, they were dropping the RFP and asked that the court dismiss the case since there was no longer any issues for which the court needed to grant relief. OVG also submitted a petition asking the court to dismiss the case.
District Court Judge Rod Souza is adjudicating the case.
Jarussi contends that with further evidence, he now believes the Board also colluded with OVG in the process of issuing an RFP for Booking Services, and in executing the Booking Agreement in July of 2021. Their conduct, he stated, “… exhibited favoritism towards OVG. Such conduct violated the Commissioner’s fiduciary duties owed to the taxpayers and citizens of Yellowstone County and violated the integrity of the bidding process for public contracts.”
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