It became known on Wednesday, November 21st 2012 that the Jacobs family has taken yet more legal action against our Village to try and kill this year’s (2013) Global Dressage Festival. This is of concern to all residents and businesses of Wellington.
And it appears settlement discussions to resolve the litigation between the Village and Wellington Equestrian Partners have come to a dead end. The Forum had hoped the Village would allow use of the new Horse Park at Equestrian Village year-round.
The Jacobs assault against this year’s GDF is in the form of a motion to amend their existing lawsuit (1) that seeks the tearing down of the entire Equestrian Village Horse Park: The Van Kampen Arena, barns, dressage arena and the derby field. The amendment asks the court to void the temporary settlement agreement reached by WEP and the Village last August that allows the facility to be used for the 2013 GDF.
Furthermore beginning May 1, 2013 the facility will once again become legally unusable. In addition to local, year-round equestrians being denied use of the facility, it will also deny charitable organizations from holding their events at the facility.
The Equestrian Forum has asked the Mayor and Village Manager if the settlement discussions would be on this Tuesday’s Village council agenda and if the public would be allowed to speak when the council is considering the issue ( unlike at the last meeting). We have not received a response.
We ask that you and other members of the Forum become active in fighting this on-going assault. Without your involvement it will continue. Without the equestrian community speaking out, the Village council majority will become comfortable in implementing the Jacobs agenda.
We ask that you email us (equestrian.forum@live.com) and:
- State whether or not you support our efforts to make the Horse Park a year-round venue and equestrian sport a year-round industry.
- If in the coming weeks you would be willing to participate in a rally in support of the Forum and to support year-round use of the Horse Park. We want to plan a fun, family-friendly rally that has the very serious purpose of expressing our support for a vibrant, year round equestrian industry and that we want the Horse Park available now and the litigation (using our money) TO STOP! NOW!
- Please include in your email if you are a full or seasonal resident of Wellington
And finally, we have been hopeful that a settlement agreement would be reached. We thought at least one of the council majority ( Bob Margolis, Matt Willhite and John Greene ) would realize the economic and financial damage their previous actions could have and would reverse course. Our hope has proved to be naive. We realize that it will take an aggressive approach to stop this council and the Jacobs from destroying the benefits of our equestrian industry.
(1) Charlie & Kimberly Jacobs and Solar SportSystems (Deeridge Farm) v Village of Wellington.
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