Three Rivers lawsuit set for trial

The lingering legal battle between Three Rivers Community College and Southeast Missouri State University over operation of Bootheel higher education centers could play out in a courtroom next year.

Circuit Judge William Seay of Salem, Mo., has set the 2-year-old case for trial Feb. 25 through 29 in Franklin County Circuit Court in Union, Mo.

Three Rivers' attorney, Paul Kidwell of Poplar Bluff, Mo., said he hopes the dispute can be resolved without a courtroom battle. "I don't think anyone wants to spend a week in Franklin County trying the case," he said Thursday.

Dr. Ken Dobbins, president of Southeast, said he also hopes both sides can settle the matter without a trial. "It is just time to get this over with," he said.

Three Rivers filed a nine-count lawsuit in March 2005, accusing Southeast's board of regents of a breach of contract over operation of higher education centers in Sikeston, Kennett and Malden, Mo.

The Poplar Bluff-based community college filed the lawsuit after Southeast's regents decided to bar Three Rivers from teaching courses at Southeast's Bootheel higher education centers.

The community college is seeking more than $25,000 in damages as well as unspecified punitive damages.

Three Rivers says it paid rent to Southeast to teach courses at the centers. But Southeast contends the community college wasn't paying its fair share of the cost of operating the centers. Southeast said it needs to teach all the classes at the three centers to generate enough revenue to offset costs.

The eviction prompted Three Rivers to establish its own Bootheel education centers.

Kidwell said Three Rivers hopes to secure monetary damages from the university to recover some of the start-up costs associated with the new centers.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123