Star Staff Writer
| Each with pen in hand, the officials tried to keep up with the award amounts and breakdowns of attorney fees and payments for personal injury and property damages that didn't add up, health funds, ad-vance payments and PCB blood and fatty tissue levels compared to award amounts. "We're here tonight to hear those concerns and try the best we can to get some things resolved," Little said. Palmore said he was appalled by what the people were suffering through. "We're here for you," he said. "We're going to stand with you." A group of plaintiffs in the state case, Abernathy vs. Monsanto et al., and the federal case, Tolbert vs. Monsanto et al., each settled for $300 million in a global settlement last August. They have teamed up to protest against the courts and their lawyers. Their organizers were among the group of more than 40 that came to Monday's meeting. For the past couple of weeks they have picketed regularly outside the office of Donald Stewart, the plaintiffs attorney in the Abernathy case, and the Calhoun County courthouse. The plaintiffs are seeking attention and an investigation because they believe both cases were mishandled. Abernathy plaintiffs have accused Stewart of taking twice the attorneys fees the court ordered him to receive, and complained that neither he nor the court will address their questions about how their individual awards are determined. "Is that dictated by the court?" Fink asked. Plaintiffs said it was their understanding that Stewart could divide the money at his own discretion. Thomas Long said he and plaintiffs tried to schedule a meeting with Judge Joel Laird, but were not given an opportunity to voice their concerns. "It angered me because it showed disrespect," Long said. "We are not thugs. We are not crooks, but we are voting citizens of this community." Tolbert plaintiffs say it was unfair that their case, with 18,400 plaintiffs, was settled at the same time and for the same amount as the Abernathy suit, with 3,500 plaintiffs. They also have a host of problems with the way the money is being distributed, lost blood tests and paperwork, the time it is taking for them to be paid and their inability to get questions answered. They are unhappy with settlements the claims administrator has made with Medicaid and Medicare and question the accuracy of blood tests and why they couldn't opt for a test of their fatty tissue. "It's not about money anymore," said Faye Hanner, whose mother is a plaintiff in the Tolbert case. "It's about people being sick and dying and their property that they worked to give to their children being worth nothing." Hanner questioned why they were having this meeting now and not years ago. Fink said the council couldn't get involved while the litigation was ongoing. Now that people don't feel justice has been served, the council was trying to learn what it could do--if anything. Anniston Mayor Chip Howell could not be at the meeting because the Community Advisory Group regarding PCBs cleanup was meeting at the same time. At the CAG meeting, Solutia remedial projects manager Craig Branchfield gave an update on the sampling and capping of the 11th Street Ditch. Workers are removing any dirt with greater than 10 parts per billion PCB levels. Areas with less than 10 and greater than 1 part per billion PCBs are being lined with concrete to prevent any direct exposure. So far, about 1,000 feet of the mile-long ditch has been cleaned or capped. Branchfield said he expected to have the project done by the end of the year, but it looks like they will be finished ahead of schedule. |
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About Jessica Centers
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Jessica Centers, a University of Missouri graduate, covers business for The Anniston Star. |
| E-mail: |
jcenters@annistonstar.com |