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January 30, 2004Second Clous suit filedCounty brings in extra legal aidByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - County prosecutors are cranking up the legal heat on developer Bill Clous, tapping an outside law firm and filing another court action over his disputed land-clearing work in East Bay Township. Prosecutor Dennis LaBelle filed a four-count lawsuit this week against Clous in circuit court, and told county commissioners he's hiring an environmental law attorney to assist in that case and the pending district court action set for trial in March. Clous is charged with violating the county's soil erosion ordinance on 360 acres along Townline Road. State regulators also are investigating possible wetland violations, though Clous maintains the work was done under legal agriculture exemptions. LaBelle hired local environmental attorney Christopher Bzdok to assist with the county's two pending court cases against Clous, his wife Toni and his Eastwood Homes development company. Bzdok is from the Olson, Bzdok & Howard law firm that has worked on several high-profile environmental cases around the state, including one involving the Ice Mountain water bottling plant near Big Rapids. The firm has also worked with opponents of the county's Hartman-Hammond bridge proposal. LaBelle said he didn't know how much the extra legal help will cost the county. His office has a $15,000 contingency fund to pay for outside legal aid, and he'll seek additional funds from the county board if necessary. Former county drain commissioner Maureen Templeton said she's pleased LaBelle sought additional legal help. Templeton went to the county board in early 2003 asking for legal assistance to pursue the Clous case, but she was rebuffed by commissioners in part because of LaBelle's objections. It was part of an open feud between the two officials over the county's handling of the Clous dispute. "I'm thrilled he's finally getting some help," Templeton said. "It should've been done months ago." Templeton, who resigned as drain commissioner late last year, says the Clous case outcome will have a long-term effect on enforcement of the county's soil erosion ordinance. "This case has to be successful, in my mind, or everything could spiral downward from here," she said. In the new circuit court filing, prosecutors are seeking a court order to prevent Clous from doing any work on the land this spring before the legal disputes are resolved, including planting crops on the land or replacing two creek bridges. Clous' attorney, Matthew Vermetten, did not respond Thursday to a request for comment.
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