2009-11-19

Guilott trial evaporates

By Julie Whitmore

The Thursday, Nov. 12, trial in the City of Bandera Municipal Court evaporated during a morning of intense negotiations between attorneys for Gay Guilott and the City of Bandera.

The case revolves over Guilott’s refusal to connect her real estate office building to the city water supply. However, she insists she has no problem connecting to the water main, but refuses to pay for a service she has no intention of using.

Municipal Judge Lynn Holt refused further continuances last Thursday morning regarding the case – formally titled City of Bandera v. Deirdre Ltd. (Bandera County Municipal Ct. No. 00294). However, by 1:30 pm, city attorney Barbara Boulware-Wells told the Courier that an agreement would be presented to the Bandera City Council at its next meeting, slated for Thursday, Nov. 19.

Boulware-Wells said specifics of the agreement were confidential and several city council members admitted even they were not privy to the details until all five had been assembled for the meeting.

If the council rejects the agreement, then Holt will preside over a trial. Details of the various proposals and counterproposals tendered during the protracted case were offered in an article on page two of the Thursday, Nov. 12, edition of the Bandera County Courier.

If Guilott loses the case and subsequently appeals, the case will be heard in the 216th Judicial District Court, according to information from a Wednesday, Oct. 28, meeting of the City of Bandera Board of Adjustments.

Chiefly at issue is the city’s liability for accidental consumption of harvested rainwater, which Guilott uses for sink faucets and toilets, should anyone become ill by drinking it. The realty office uses bottled water for obvious drinking purposes.

Until now, Guilott has adamantly opposed any city offers or offsets to her connection to city water. Additionally, her building, completed in January 2008, still lacks a certificate of occupancy.