ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
PEOPLE
OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
)
)
Complainant,
)
)
v.
)
)
COMMUNITY LANDFILL COMPANY, INC., )
and CITY OF MORRIS, an Illinois Municipal
)
Corporation"
)
)
Respondents.
)
NOTICE OF FILING
TO: SEE ATTACHED SERVICE LIST
PCB 03-191
(Enforcement - Land)
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that
on August 29, 2007. we electronically filed with the Clerk
of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, the Respondent, City of Monis', Motion for Leave to
File Amended Affirmative Defenses, a copy of which is attached hereto and hereby served
upon you.
Dated:
Charles F. Helsten
Hinshaw
& Culbertson LLP
100 Park Avenue
P.O.
Box 1389
Rockford, IL 61105-1389
815-490-4900
Respectfully submitted,
ORRIS
70S35478vl 806289
Electronic Filing, Received, Clerk's Office, September 5, 2007
AFFIDAVIT OF SERVICE
The undersigned, pursuant to the provisions of Section 1-109 ofthe Illinois Code of Civil
Procedure, hereby under penalty
of perjury under the laws of the United States of America,
certifies that
on September 5,2007, she caused to be served a copy ofthe foregoing upon:
Mr. Christopher Grant
Mark LaRose
Assistant Attorney General
Clarissa Grayson
Environmental Bureau
LaRose
&
Bosco, Ltd.
69 W. Washington St., Suite 1800
200 N. LaSalle, Suite 2810
Chicago, IL 60602
Chicago,
IL
60601
Mr. John
T. Therriault, Assistant Clerk
Bradley Halloran
Illinois Pollution Control Board
Hearing Officer
100 W. Randolph, Suite 11-500
lllinois Pollution Control Board
Chicago,
IL
60601
100
W. Randolph, Suite 11-500
(via electronic filing)
Chicago,
IL
60601
Mr. Scott Belt
Jennifer A. Tomas
Scott M. Belt
&
Associates, P.C.
Office
ofthe Attorney General
105 East Main Street
Environmental Bureau
Suite 206
500 South Second Street
Morris, IL 60450
Springfield,
IL 62706
A copy
of the same was enclosed
in
an envelope
in
the United States mail at Rockford, Illinois,
proper postage prepaid, before the hour
of 5:00 p.m., addressed as above.
HINSHAW
&
CULBERTSON
100 Park Avenue
P.O.
Box 1389
Rockford,
IT.. 61105-1389
(815) 490-4900
7041 S200V I 806289
Electronic Filing, Received, Clerk's Office, September 5, 2007
PCB No. 03-191
BEFORE THE ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
PEOPLE
OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
)
)
Complainant,
)
)
v.
)
)
COMMUNITY LANDFILL COMPANY, INC.
)
an lllinois
corporatio~
and the CITY OF
)
MORRIS. an lllinois municipal corporation,
)
)
Respondents.
)
MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE AMENDED AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES
NOW COMES the Respondent, CITY OF MORRIS, by and through its attorneys,
HINSHAW
&
CULBERTSON, LLP, and in support of its Motion for Leave to File Amended
Affinnative Defenses states as follows:
1.
The City has from the onset of this litigation asserted that it
has
not conducted
waste disposal operations at the Morris Community Landfill, and
has
strenuously argued that it
therefore bears no responsibility for closure/post-closure costs of the Landfill.
2.
This Board has, however, held in its Interim Order of February 16, 2006 that the
City has conducted waste disposal operations at the Landfill, and has authorized a hearing
on a
final remedy to be imposed against the Respondents.
3.
Although the City adamantly reiterates that it is not liable for the posting of
closure/post closure financial assurance, in light of the Board's Interim Order and holding that
the City is to
be treated as such for purposes of these proceedings, it is incumbent upon the City
to respond to the proposed remedy and penalties urged
by the State with Amended Afftrmative
Defenses. The City's Affirmative Defenses to the proposed remedy and penalties include the
Illinois Tort Immunity Act, which provides statutory protection for local public entities
in
actions
arising from the operation ofgovernrnent. 745 ILCS
lO/l-lOl.l(a).
70535903v! 806289
Electronic Filing, Received, Clerk's Office, September 5, 2007
4.
Section 2-616(a) of the Code of Civil Procedure allows amendments ofpleadings
on just and reasonable tenns at any time before final judgment. 735 ILCS 5/2-616(a) (2004).
5.
The most important consideration in whether to allow a requested amendment is
whether allowing the amendment furthers the ends
of justice.
Savage v. Pho,
312
Ill.
App. 3d
553,556-57 (5th Dist. 2000). Any doubts as to whether leave to file an amended pleading should
be granted should be decided in favor
of allowing the amendment.
ld.
6.
The issues raised in the City's Amended Affirmative Defenses have been known
by the State since the onset of this controversy, and seek
to
protect the interests of the taxpayers
and residents
of a municipality. Moreover, no prejudice will result in the filing of the Amended
Affirmative Defenses, and no delay is necessary as a result ofthe Affumative Defenses.
7.
The City's Affinnative Defenses
are
delineated
in
the attached, "Amended
Affinnative Defenses
of the City ofMorris."
WHEREFORE, the City of Morris respectfully requests that the Board grant leave to file
the attached Amended Affirmative Defenses.
Dated: September 5, 2007
Charles
F. Helsten
Hinshaw
&
Culbertson LLP
100 Park Avenue
P.O. Box 1389
Rockford, IL 61105-1389
815-490-4900
Respectfully submitted,
ORRIS
This document utilized 100% recycled paper products.
Electronic Filing, Received, Clerk's Office, September 5, 2007
PCB 03-191
(Enforcement - Land)
ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
)
)
Complainant,
)
)
v.
)
)
COMMUNITY LANDFILL COMPANY, INC., )
and CITY OF MORRIS, an lllinois Municipal
)
COIporation"
)
)
ltespondents.
)
AMENDED AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES
NOW COMES Respondent, CITY OF MORRIS,
by and through its attorneys,
HINSHAW & CULBERTSON LLP, and as and for its Affirmative Defenses, states
as follows:
1.
The City of Morris neither owned nor conducted a waste disposal operation at the
Morris Community Landfill at the time
ofthe alleged violation or at any time thereafter.
2.
Pursuant to Section 10/2-102 of the Illinois Tort Immunity Act, the City of Morris
is immune from liability for penalties and attorneys fees which are being sought
by the State of
Illinois. 745 ILCS 10/2-102 (2006).
3.
Pursuant to Section 10/2-109 of the Tort Immunity Act, a public entity is not
liable for an act or omission
of its employee where the eiIlployee is not liable. Furthermore, a
public employee acting
in his scope of employment is not liable for a negligent misrepresentation
or the providing
of such infonnation either orally, in writing, by computer, or any other
electronic transmission.
If any employee or agent of the City of Morris indicated at the time of
the alleged failure to post financial assurances that the City was the owner or operator of the
landfill or obligated
to post such fmancial assurances, such statement was a negligent
misrepresentation for which the City is immune from liability. 745 ILCS 10/2-109; 745 ILCS
10/2-210 (2006).
70535910vl 8062g9
Electronic Filing, Received, Clerk's Office, September 5, 2007
4.
The closure and post-closure costs sought by the State of Illinois are not
supported
by the evidence.
5.
The Complaint is barred
by the doctrines of laches and estoppel, because the State
approved the transfer of the operating and development permits from the City to Community
Landfill Company; and because the State failed to compel Community Landfill Company to
close Parcel B
of the facility in a timely fashion; and because the Agency accepted Frontier
bonds and issued a modification permit on August 4, 2000, knowing that Frontier had been
delisted.
6.
The Frontier insurance bonds complied with all applicable regulations at the time
of their issuance and were accepted as such by the Agency.
7.
At no time did the City of Morris willfully, knowingly or repeatedly violate any
State law, and thus the award of costs and attorneys fees are not allowable.
8.
Pursuant to Sections 33(c) and 42(h). the proposed remedy of the State of Illinois
is impractical and impossible to be accomplished by the City ofMoms, which lacks the ability to
pay the same.
9.
If
any agent of the City of Morris executed a document at the time of the alleged
failure to post fmancial assurances indicating that the City was the owner
or operator of
Community Landfill, or was obligated to post financial assurances, such act was unauthorized
and
ultra vires,
and cannot be the basis for the imposition of any remedy or penalty against the
City of Morris.
WHEREFORE, the City
of Morris, an lllinois Municipal Corporation, prays that
judgment be rendered
in
its favor and that no remedy be imposed against the City and no order
compelling payment
or any penalties or attorneys' fees be issued..
2
70535910v1806289
Electronic Filing, Received, Clerk's Office, September 5, 2007
Dated:
September
5,
2007
Charles
F.
Helsten
Hinshaw
&
Culbertson
LLP
100
Park
Avenue
P.O.
Box
1389
Rockford,
IL
61105-13
89
815-490-4900
Respectfully
submitted,
On
behalf
of
the
CITY
OF
MORRIS
lsi
Charles
F.
Helsten
Charles
F.
Helsten
One
ofIts
Attorneys
3
7053591
Ov
I
806289
Electronic Filing, Received, Clerk's Office, September 5, 2007