City Contesting Legal Fees Awarded To Helen Burns Sharp In TIF Lawsuit

  • Sunday, October 26, 2014

The city is contesting legal fees awarded to citizen activist Helen Burns Sharp, who sued over the validity of a $9 million Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for a planned major development on Aetna Mountain.

Chancellor Pam Fleenor recently ruled that Ms. Sharp should be reimbursed for her discretionary costs as well as her attorney fees.

Ms. Sharp said in a recent court filing that her legal bills to attorney John Konvalinka were $74,427 at the time.

The award is against the City Industrial Development Board (IDB), a city of Chattanooga entity.

City attorneys said they want to take the deposition of attorney Konvalinka over details of his bills.

Afterward, there will be an evidentiary hearing before Chancellor Fleenor.

Chancellor Fleenor, in a memorandum opinion, said prior Chancellor Frank Brown had ruled that Ms. Burns, a citizen activist, had "won" her case in which it was ruled that the Sunshine Law was violated in approving the TIF.

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