Ski Posted August 30, 2006 Report Posted August 30, 2006 SCRANTON -- There was no resolution in minority Commissioner Mike Washo's lawsuit against Lackawanna County Wednesday. Following more than three hours spent in fact-finding and negotiations between the parties, visiting Judge R. Barry McAndrews instructed the litigants to return to court for a hearing during the week of Sept. 17. Mr. Washo is suing the county, seeking an injunction against a pending, $5.1 million sale of Montage Mountain Ski Area to Philadelphia-based Sno Mountain LLP, claiming the deal violates several areas of county and state law. Judge McAndrews told the litigants they'll need to produce a jointly agreed-upon "statement of facts," in order to avoid getting caught up lengthy courtroom testimony about basic, uncontested elements of the case. Mr. Washo said he was pleased with the judge's decision. Attorneys for Sno Mountain said the delay could be harmful to their client's plans for the coming ski season, and for a water park they want to build in time for next season. ******************* Washo is pleased with the judge's decision? That speaks volumns, since the only decision made was to delay another 18 days. Washo votes against everything, including the Veteran's Memorial, which he then showed up for the ribbon cutting and newspaper photographer. What a complete loser. So he gets a hardon NOT from the judge ruling in his favor and finding that it was an illegal deal, but just that he is costing the taxpayers money for the court case and screwing skiers/riders out of a season of improvements. Quote
Ski Posted August 30, 2006 Author Report Posted August 30, 2006 not good.. Thanks, Mr. Sunshine. I know it gives you a warm feeling just like Washo. I just don't get people that have to be the center of attention (ie "noticed") or whatever else is going on is bad and has to be ruined for everyone. A company comes to Montage with a $5.1 million offer, plus $20 million in improvements for a year-round TAXABLE business. For a property that's appraised for $4.3 million! And the answer? Sue them. And have some guy with no real cash that had been rejected by all commissioners join in the lawsuit. Yeah, baby, to HELL with common sense! As long as Sno Mountain wins out, it's no real big deal to our family. Ty's not joining the race team until next season and we've already prepared ourselves to status quo for this season. So we just sit back and watch Washo burn through tax dollars from the good people of Lackawanna County. Figuring $100,000 in legal fees and using $2000 per household in taxes, 50 families in Lackawanna will have worked very hard and had their entire annual property tax wasted on Mike Washo's crusade to be noticed. It's actually pretty funny. The people that have supported Washo, including the Times-Tribune editors, will turn on him when the bill shows up in the mail. Quote
Sno Mountain Skier Posted August 31, 2006 Report Posted August 31, 2006 Honestly Ski, it doesnt look good for anything this upcoming season. In all reality i dont think there will be skiing at Montage this year. Im just hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, and the worst is only getting to ski two times a week at JF/BB. Quote
riderossi Posted August 31, 2006 Report Posted August 31, 2006 why jf/bb ? Is that the next closest place to scranton? I'm starting to look at other options.. Quote
Ski Posted August 31, 2006 Author Report Posted August 31, 2006 (edited) Honestly Ski, it doesnt look good for anything this upcoming season. In all reality i dont think there will be skiing at Montage this year. Im just hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, and the worst is only getting to ski two times a week at JF/BB. They'll be open one way or another. The judge said he was aware of the problems the delay could cause so he fully expects both parties to be ready on the 17th and he'll have a decision right after the hearing. The snowmaking company is set to deliver when they get word. Right now, it looks like full installation of all guns could be set back to mid-January. That was according to the Sno Mountain attorney. Mr. Carlson is fully aware that if you shut down any business for a year---especially a ski area---you lose a lot of business afterward. People lose faith when planning annual vacations, etc. Also, it would return a lot of the season pass business stolen from Elk. And if for some crazy reason it goes back up for bids, then we just won't get the new snowmaking system until Sno Mountain bids the highest (again) and puts them in next year. Get this: the judge sent Washo and the other commissioners into his chambers to try and come up with a compromise. Washo offered to drop the suit if Sno Mountain paid a flat $9.6 million with no guaranteed improvements and they would have the ability to sell it off whenever they wanted. Washo ONLY cared about saving face, because he knows how this will turn out. He was willing to ditch the 10 year guarantee the buyer has to keep it a ski area. Washo showed he doesn't give a crap about Montage being a ski area. Edited August 31, 2006 by ski Quote
poconoceancity Posted August 31, 2006 Report Posted August 31, 2006 What does Washdick do for a living? Quote
Ski Posted September 1, 2006 Author Report Posted September 1, 2006 What does Washdick do for a living? Washdick Construction Quote
poconoceancity Posted September 1, 2006 Report Posted September 1, 2006 Washdick Construction Did he build your house? Quote
Ski Posted September 1, 2006 Author Report Posted September 1, 2006 Did he build your house? No, Poc, I hate him purely for what's going on with Sno Mountain. We're in a different county, so I didn't have much background knowledge of any of the commissioners prior to the original listing two years ago. Quote
riderossi Posted September 1, 2006 Report Posted September 1, 2006 so one person pretty much at least somewhat fucked up Sno's season (snowgun installation,etc) Bingo. Quote
Ski Posted September 1, 2006 Author Report Posted September 1, 2006 if Sno was my home mtn you have no idea how much i'd be flipping the fuck out It's almost as if you're suggesting some locals should Tanya Harding his kneecaps...not that we would.... Quote
Ski Posted September 1, 2006 Author Report Posted September 1, 2006 that would be the nicest thing I'd do to Washdick Some of my buds have an idea: Quote
Papasteeze Posted September 1, 2006 Report Posted September 1, 2006 so one person pretty much at least somewhat fucked up Sno's season (snowgun installation,etc) and to think I was worried about one tree hugger. They'll be open one way or another. The judge said he was aware of the problems the delay could cause so he fully expects both parties to be ready on the 17th and he'll have a decision right after the hearing. 17th of which month - why do I have de ja vu? Quote
VTmark Posted September 1, 2006 Report Posted September 1, 2006 I would love to egg his house over it. Quote
Sno Mountain Skier Posted September 1, 2006 Report Posted September 1, 2006 why jf/bb ? Is that the next closest place to scranton? I'm starting to look at other options.. Sick park at BB, and JF has some decent skiing. But its only 35 minutes on the turnpike. And thats from Moosic, so it could be closer depending were you live. Quote
Ski Posted September 1, 2006 Author Report Posted September 1, 2006 I would love to egg his house over it. I'd like to hit Washo in the head with Rob. Quote
riderossi Posted September 1, 2006 Report Posted September 1, 2006 Sick park at BB, and JF has some decent skiing. But its only 35 minutes on the turnpike. And thats from Moosic, so it could be closer depending were you live. I'm in moosic also, hopefully won't have to resort to that but i guess we'll have to wait and see. Quote
Sno Mountain Skier Posted September 1, 2006 Report Posted September 1, 2006 I'm in moosic also, hopefully won't have to resort to that but i guess we'll have to wait and see. What section of town do you live in? Quote
riderossi Posted September 1, 2006 Report Posted September 1, 2006 What section of town do you live in? Directly off of the 81 exit, probably less than .5 miles away. Quote
Sno Mountain Skier Posted September 1, 2006 Report Posted September 1, 2006 Directly off of the 81 exit, probably less than .5 miles away. The exit on Doug Hill or Davis Street? Do you, or did you go to Riverside? Quote
VTmark Posted September 1, 2006 Report Posted September 1, 2006 I'd like to hit Washo in the head with Rob. HAHAHAHAHA. Priceless. Quote
Papasteeze Posted September 1, 2006 Report Posted September 1, 2006 I'd like to hit Washo in the head with Rob. I am really curious, why do you ski at montage over Elk? I would think Elk would be more your kind of hill. Is it farther away or something else? Quote
Ski Posted September 1, 2006 Author Report Posted September 1, 2006 I am really curious, why do you ski at montage over Elk? I would think Elk would be more your kind of hill. Is it farther away or something else? Sno Mountain has a slight advantage over Elk in a lot of ways and a big advantage in a few others. It begins with the choice of cattle cars versus parking 10 yards from the top of a selection of black diamonds. Also, the diamonds are wider, which is better for GS practice. Boomer is a perfect fall line course. And Elk doesn't have an answer for White Lightning, when it comes to a run you can scare yourself on. Sno Mountain has NASTAR. Elk is a packed madhouse, compaired to Sno. Imagine that. Which also plays into the whole snow quality issue. Elk has this phantom rep for great snow that even shows up in national mags. I can only attribute it to the difference people find when it comes to CB/Shawnee compared to Elk. Snow quality mostly depends on skier traffic. And Elk's snow is much less scraped off than CB. But Sno's slopes have actual grooming marks two days after grooming in some spots. Quote
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