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Banks suing to beat statute of limitations
Published Thursday, June 19, 2008
FERRIDAY — The alderman-elect who filed a lawsuit against the Town of Ferriday did so because the statute of limitations to be able to file the suit was running out.
District B Alderman-elect Elijah “Steppers” Banks said he filed a lawsuit seeking damages plus interest from the town for the closure of his business Club Steppers in October 2001 because the lawsuit he filed against the town at that time was never completed.
“That issue existed before I was elected an alderman,” Banks said.
If no action is taken on a lawsuit after a certain amount of time, it is involuntarily dismissed.
But Ferriday Town Attorney Derrick Carson said the town had no reason to pursue the lawsuit.
“The suit is not the town’s initiative. It is not on the town to take any action to further (Banks’) claim,” Carson said. “Don’t file a suit (against the town) and assume I am going to push the suit to trial.”
Mayor-elect Glen McGlothin, who was mayor at the time of the closure, said he revoked the business’ liquor license after receiving a number of complaints about excessive loitering and fights at the nightclub, located at 211 E.E. Wallace Blvd.
Banks disagreed that it was a nuisance.
“I always ran a well-code of conduct club,” Banks said. “You come in and act like citizens and you get treated like citizens.”
The decision to revoke the license was appealed to the Ferriday Board of Aldermen, which did not reinstate the license.
The 2001 lawsuit, which requested the courts to bar the city from revoking the license, followed the normal legal course until late 2002. After that, however, it stalled.
The next action taken was in 2004 when attorney Anna Ferguson, who was attorney at the time the suit was filed, signed the case over to Carson, who became town attorney under Mayor Gene Allen’s administration that year.
No other action was pursued until June 3, when Banks filed the new suit.
In 2005, Banks opened a new club, Steppers II, located at 812 First St., but that doesn’t affect his claim to damages, he said.
“You’re always going to accumulate damage,” Banks said.
The lawsuit against the city will not affect his ability to lead as an alderman, Banks said.
“I can perform my district business according to bringing my people forward,” he said. “(The town) took something from me seven years back, but that doesn’t stop me from applying my leadership forward. This doesn’t affect my responsibility or my leadership ability.”
Comments
Posted by msblackstallion (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 4:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
good luck !!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by msubulldog (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 5:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
To Mr. Banks yeah right.
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 6:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"That doesn't stop me from applying my leadership forward". ???? That is one of the most convoluted statements I have ever heard, even from an elected official. This all stinks. I heard a cop was shot down there, and that there were all other kinds of problems.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 9:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Get him out before he gets in Ferriday!!
Posted by kilabe (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The lawsuit against the city will not affect his ability to lead as an alderman, Banks said.
Um....HELLO!!! I had a good laugh reading this this morning. And how did this guy get elected?! This is just to funny. Does he really think he can work for Mayor McGlothin and move forward? This joke of a lawsuit against the town he surpose to lead show's he can not!! Again I say ...LOL ... H.E.L.L.O.
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
When does 'stupid' become an un-laughable ridiculous joke??????
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 12:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
<<destiny>>...when a newly-chosen alderman sues the town that elected him. Isn't that ridiculous? In my way of thinking, it's biting the hand that feeds him. He didn't have to follow up on that suit, but he trudged forward, stabbing the people in the back..."I'm gonna get mine". His bar was shut down due to safety reasons and he can't understand that move? Then he can't fairly represent his people if he shows no more concern than that!
Posted by happybunny (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That is the most outrageos thing I have ever heard! I cannot believe Ferriday would elect a bar owner to run their city to begin with. And for the bar owner to then turn around and sue his city which he has been elected to serve! This is probably the reason Ferriday is in such poor condition...
This really should be a national story, it is that unbelievable.
Posted by msblackstallion (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 6:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
usa!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by emp (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 7:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Banks following through with this suit is like me suing a business that I own. It is stupidity at its finest. The town should file suit against Banks for having a business that caused so much trouble.
Posted by jammin1 (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 10:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is just Gene Allen's cronies making trouble cause he lost control of the town. I find it highly suspicious that Banks didn't bother to follow up on this till GA was ousted.
The people that elected Banks should do a recall on him and elect someone who really cares about improving the town and their lives, instead his own pocket.
Posted by kilabe (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 10:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great point jammin1 !! ;)
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