Court sides with city in infrastructure-financing case

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi Supreme Court has thrown out a lawsuit challenging how the city of Starkville is paying for infrastructure improvements.

The Supreme Court sided with the city which had contended local resident William McGovern waited too long to appeal a chancellor’s ruling in favor of Starkville’s municipal facility construction plan. Chancellor Jim Davidson threw out McGovern’s lawsuit on Dec. 18.

McGovern’s appeal was filed Jan. 9, two days beyond the 20-day time limit imposed by state law.

The city plans an $8-million project that includes a new municipal building and renovations to the current city hall. The board of aldermen approved of a lease-purchase plan to fund the construction.

McGovern claimed the city failed to identify the lessee corporation, the property to be leased or the construction company.