Hidden Lakes Estates mobile home park in Schofield. Image courtesy: WAOW TV
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The legal proceedings between the City of Schofield and Wyoming-based Sustainable Resources LLC regarding the Hidden Lakes Estates Mobile Home Park continue to slowly grind through the Marathon County court system.
On Tuesday Judge Michael Moran set future deadlines for arguments between the two sides that will be filed with him before he gives an oral ruling in the case on August 2nd.
Mayor Kregg Hoehn said it’s all part of the legal process and how it plays out.
“We’ll just see what the courts have to say after both sides present their writings as to how they are going to present the case,” said Hoehn. “Two cases get presented to the judge, and the judge then will make a finding, and we’ll go from there.”
The first brief will be filed on May 7th by the attorney for Sustainable Resources. Schofield City Attorney Shane VanderWaal will then have the opportunity to file a response by June 4th. A reply to that will then be due by June 18th.
Once Moran has had the chance to look over all of those documents, an oral ruling will be given on August 2nd. Both Mayor Hoehn and Attorney VanderWaal told WSAU news that they don’t expect that ruling to be the be-all, end-all in the case but it will still be something to keep an eye on as it will likely set a future direction for the proceedings.
RELATED: No Operating License for Troubled Schofield Mobile Home Park
In the meantime, Hoehn’s message to residents of the long-embattled park is to sit tight.
“The courts will decide, and they aren’t going to decide anything until August. What dates and what things could come from the courts, I can’t tell you. But, that’s a number of months away.”
He adds that it’s sad that the situation has come to this, with the city having to step in after years of neglect and a lack of leadership that has left unsafe conditions throughout the park.
“There’s no one to go to for all the problems and issues that the city has run into. There’s nobody there that the citizens, the residents can go to. And when we tried to contact ownership, there was no communication. It became a very difficult position for us to work in,” said Hoehn.
The city council voted in January to not issue two years’ worth of operating licenses for the park- a back-dated one for 2020 and one for the current year. Meaning that the park is currently operating without the proper licenses.
Judge Moran will have the final say about if and when residents will have to vacate. Hoehn says if it does come to that the city has compiled resources for residents and will provide all the help that it can to find everyone a new home.
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