Legal action has been taken against the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas.
After a controversial decision by the city to allegedly bypass traditional forms of approval for an Environmental Protection Agency grant, a Fort Smith resident has initiated legal proceedings. A lawsuit is being filed over the alleged illegal activity that involved the city promising to push for all local citizens to convert to “equitable” electric vehicles. The promises were allegedly made to secure a grant with the Environmental Protection Agency.
Brian Westney, the citizen who filed the lawsuit, says that the EPA plan laid out by the city “illegally” states that the city is committed to “100% electrified vehicles for government vehicles and privately owned vehicles. So they said the city is for 100% of the privately owned vehicles being electric.”
“Equitable charging stations” were also named as a plan under the city’s new EPA plan, according to Westney.
Lawsuit Underway In Fort Smith, Arkansas
The Fort Smith City Board of Directors will consider ratifying decisions made by City Administrator Carl Geffken regarding an EPA grant, actions that attorney Joey McCutchen claims were unauthorized.
Brian Westney, a Fort Smith resident, has initiated legal proceedings against the city and Geffken, asserting that the environmental grant was accepted without proper board approval.
Joey McCutchen, in a letter to the Board, warns that ratifying these actions could further damage public trust in the local government, potentially leading to increased scrutiny and political fallout.
McCutchen highlights the potential for public backlash, political consequences, and further legal issues if the Board opts to retroactively approve the administrator’s actions.
Instead of ratification, McCutchen suggests a transparent reevaluation of the process to restore public confidence and uphold governance standards.
The Board now faces a critical choice on how to proceed, balancing the need for legality with maintaining the community’s trust in city governance.
