More than one month into the new year, organizers of the prospective city of St. George say their efforts are basically on hold until a court hearing later this month on a lawsuit challenging the legality of the incorporation.
“We’re kind of in slow motion right now,” St. George spokesman Drew Murrell says.
An initial hearing is scheduled for February 24 in 19th Judicial District Court on the suit, which was filed by Mayor Sharon Weston Broome and three other opponents of the incorporation.
St. George supporters did not file an answer to the suit but, rather, have asked the court to throw it out, arguing Broome and two of the three plaintiffs lack legal standing to sue.
“Hopefully, once the court throws out the suit, we’ll be able to get down to the business of establishing the new city,” Murrell says.
“That’s not going to happen,” counters Mary Olive Pierson, who represents Broome and the plaintiffs in the suit.
While the incorporation effort is on pause, some residents of the prospective city have continued their fundraising efforts on social media to help support the legal challenge.
On the St. George, Louisiana, Community Facebook page, which describes itself as the unofficial page for the city of St. George, autographed LSU sports apparel and other gifts and merchandise are regularly auctioned to the highest bidder.
The bidding process is handled on a separate online portal, so it’s unclear how much the auction items are going for, and Murrell says he cannot say for sure since it is being handled by an outside group.
Separately, another group of residents inside the prospective limits of St. George is planning to launch a bimonthly farmers and arts market beginning May 9.
Murrell says he is familiar with the effort and that it will be a way for people in St. George and the surrounding area to connect.
“Everyone needs farmers and arts markets,” he says.
According to the group’s website, the market will be on the second and third Saturdays of every month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., though it is still looking for a location.
According to the group’s Facebook page, it has scouted several potential sites but hasn’t found one yet that is suitable.
“If you are or know of a business owner in our area who has a big parking lot, isn’t open on the weekends and wouldn’t mind us setting up on their property for a few hours on a Saturday, PLEASE LET US KNOW! We promise to take care of it!,” the post says.
