WBRZ - Baton Rouge

LIVINGSTON- Two members of the parish council are being sued by engineering firm Alvin Fairburn and Associates.

In court documents, the attorneys for the firm said Cindy Wales and Marshall Harris made statements that were false and "specifically designed to negatively impact the business reputation" of the firm.

The suit only names Wales and Harris. Just last week a report was broadcast on WBRZ News 2 at 10:00 where Wales and Harris were interviewed about meeting minutes being modified in 2011 by then-council clerk Mary Kistler.

In emails the station uncovered, Kistler wrote to the engineering firm: "I can modify the resolution within the context of the discussion, if necessary."
The wording was changed to include "preliminary design work" and "a detailed route survey," authorizing some $31,000 in work on Duff Road.

The lawsuit accuses the council members of making false statements in the report and seeks damages and costs related to filing the lawsuit.

Wales and Harris said late Monday they had not seen the lawsuit, nor had they been served with paperwork and would not comment.