From the Miles City Star:

Local sues ex-mayor over public nuisance 'vendetta'
By Elaine Forman

Miles Citian Rob Shipley is suing former mayor Joe Whalen for "violation of due process rights under color of law," according to U.S. District Court records.

He stated that Whalen had a "lawless vendetta" against him.
Shipley asks the court to order Whalen "never again aggresses against Shipley;" to write apologies fro his actions to BNSF personnel (including CEO Warren Buffett), contractor John Muggli, the people of Miles City through a letter to the editor, Miles City police personnel; and pay Shipley $7,000.

A pretrial conference will be held at the federal courthouse in Billings at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Continued here: Miles City Star: Local sues ex-mayor over public nuisance 'vendetta'

If this were a sitcom, in unison we'd say, "Ship-LEE" and he'd shrug his shoulders and we'd all laugh and the credits would roll.

no citizens complained about Shipley's properties.

I guess I'm going to be called at some point about this. I was Councilperson for Ward 4, where the offending property is located, about 3 blocks from my house. I don't remember the names of people who called, but I know I got a lot of them; usually at the precise moment I sat down to eat my dinner.

Edit...Thanks for posting. I purposely didn't post about it to see how long it would take to hit MC.com. Less than 24hrs.

[This message has been edited by Kelly (1/5/2012)]

I wonder if he has a lawyer.

No good deed goes unpunished....

Rob doesn't need a lawyer. He learned the law like ole Abe Lincoln, by readin' books!

I bet a combination of posts on this web site plus letters to the editor of the Star will prove what a mess Ships property has been for years...

Ship should be in a mental hospital.

If you read his complaint in the paper, you know he doesn't have a attorney. This is gonna be extremely entertaining. There is a chance, and I think it's a good chance, that he won't last 15 minutes in front of a district court judge. The court proceeding should last only long enough for the judge to be presented with about 5 pictures. Game over, and here is your bill for wasting the courts time. My only hope is that the transcript is available for us to read.

I really miss Ship on mc.com

Was in MC a month ago and drove down Valley Drive. I must say, not seeing Ship's landfill was quite nice, but there is still a whole lot of work to be done on that stretch of road from the underpass to the where the Crossroads was. And of course there are other sections in MC that need help also.

I hope the former Mayor counter-sues and then is awarded everything Shipley owns. That's probably the only way to get things cleaned up around town, and perhaps it will be a vehicle to get Mr. Shipley the help he obviously needs.

+10 Steve...

Ironic you would use the word "vehicle" with Shipley.... He has plenty of those around his house... apparently just not the right kind to get motivated!!!

This is hilarious. Plus, I'm now glad I DIDN'T help this man with his computer. Who knows, the next headline could be "Local sues Radio DJ for installing anti-virus".

David: I think you left out the funniest part of the suit document:

Shipley wrote of Whalen, "All he lusts for are convictions no matter how fraudulently obtained and demolition of a $100,000 building and complete decimation of a Miles City native's lifelong endeavor and dreams of owning and operating in his retirement years a licensed Montana pawnshop and high value antique store and place where Christian literature is either sold at cost or freely given away."

I repeat. Read that again, and tell me a lawyer ever got anywhere within 100 ft of that complaint.

The pretrial hearing was at 11am this morning. I wish I could have attended.

Umm, I heard through the grapevine that Warren Buffett really wants that apology. He and Ship are like this (fingers crossed).

My nomination for article of the year in the Star. You just can't make up stuff like that.

Webmaster, Could we let Shipley back on for a short time? It would be somewhat entertaining for awhile to see his rantings. Just for entertainment purposes. I really want to know his rational for the $7000.00 he wants from our past mayor.

+10 Big Dave.

It's your call whether you want to ungag him, Larry, but I hope you don't.

Shipley has gotten picked on a lot on this site and other places, as well...and yes, he brings a lot of it on himself, but I think it gets kind of overblown and is kind of cruel to him when it's all said and done.

He obviously has issues and letting him back on here is akin to throwing more gasoline on a fire. That's my 2 cents.

Yeah, Shipley's posting privledges were revoked for a reason. They were restored once before, and we all know how that worked out.

I agree that it is almost cruel to take a mentally ill person and poke fun at him...sorta like "hire the handicapped, they are fun to watch"...I can certainly understand the urge to do so, as he makes plenty of folks mad with his rantings, but probably not the nicest thing to do...

Okay I will rescind my previous suggestion. I appologize to all.

You might want to watch your language Howdy. If Shipley is not mentally ill I believe you slandered him. I say the mess is gone , leave the guy alone.

I always considered Hoarding a mental illness...other than that I have no clue...watching the show by the same name "hoarding", they use mental health therapy to help them...so Ship, if you aren't mentally ill, I am sorry...
http://www.mayoclinic.com...ng/DS00966

[This message has been edited by howdy (1/6/2012)]

Nice one Howdy.. Now Ship is going to sue YOU for $7001...

Dude is gonna make sum munay!

Too bad it's not slander.

LOL...Dude has too much time on his hands perhaps?? Do you wish it to be slander Mary?? Have I missed something??

[This message has been edited by howdy (1/6/2012)]

BNSF rules, they own the land. They also own the land which we call Valley Drive. The old Redi-mix is leased land along with an old Cenex, Car wash, Deluxe Q, etc. A bigger question who pays the taxes on improvements of BNSF land that are now defunct.