Weld County
Weld County says judge denied Hatch bid to halt Justice Center work
The court said Hatch had not shown a reasonable probability of success and that delaying planning, budgeting and construction would disserve the public interest. Commissioners say existing funds and financial tools would avoid additional tax dollars.
Senior District Court Judge Stephen J. Jouard denied Weld County Council member Elijah Hatch’s motion for a preliminary injunction to halt work on the new Weld County Justice Center in an Oct. 19 order, Weld County said.
Taxes were not being raised to pay for the Justice Center, the Weld County Board of Commissioners has said on several occasions. The county would use existing funds and available financial tools so additional tax dollars would not be required.
Charter Section 14-8 is most reasonably interpreted as a taxing limitation, and that reading is more likely and plausible, the court said. Hatch had not established a reasonable probability of success on the merits of his claim. The county has a statutory mandate to provide and maintain court facilities. A delay in planning, budgeting and construction of the Justice Center project “would disserve the public interest.”