MARSHALL, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Amidst Ford suspending construction at the prospective Ford BlueOval Battery plant, a court case in Marshall continues which could end operations at the Electric Vehicle battery making plant indefinitely. 

In September, the Calhoun County court dismissed the initial complaint from Committee for Marshall – Not the Megasite, which is suing the City of Marshall after it collected signatures opposing the rezoning of land to be used for the Ford BlueOval project, but was denied by the City Clerk. 

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According to the plaintiff, the Committee for Marshall – Not the Megasite, a new court day has been selected to hear new arguments, on Nov. 15, 11:00 am in Calhoun Circuit Court. 

“The City of Marshall and MAEDA have filed a motion for summary disposition against the Committee’s amended complaint,” Regis Klingler, a member of the Committee said in a statement, “The Committee filed an amended complaint to present additional evidence to the Court in the case to allow the citizens of the City of Marshall the opportunity to vote on Zoning Ordinance 2023-08.  This ordinance effectively zones the property for the construction of the battery plant.” 

At the end of September, Ford announced that construction at the BlueOval site would temporarily cease. 

“We’re pausing work, and we’re going to limit spending on construction at Marshall until we’re confident about our ability to competitively run the plant,” Ford spokesman T.R. Reid said. 

Previously, Jim Durian, CEO of Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance (MAEDA) weighed in on the Ford development stoppage. 

“We are aware of the current pause on work and we remain confident of the enormous potential of Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park project to create local opportunities and thousands of local jobs. We hope current negotiations between Ford and the UAW conclude in a mutually beneficial manner and we remain confident this project will continue as planned once these negotiations are complete.” 

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During the Ford construction stoppage, MAEDA announced that it would continue to make infrastructure improvements, including extending municipal water supply and sanitary sewer utilities from the City of Marshall to the prospective site of the Ford BlueOval area, which MAEDA is calling the Marshall Area Jobs, Opportunities, and Recreation Campus (MAJOR). 

“We are proud to welcome two excellent local companies to this project that will create thousands of local jobs in Marshall and boost economic activity now and long into the future,” Durian said in a statement.