Local family caught in right-of-way pipeline lawsuit

VILONIA A dry gas well may result in a lawsuit against a Vilonia family involving a right-of-way for a pipeline being solved before it goes to court.

Arkansas Midstream Gas Services Corporation (a wholly owned subsidiary of Chesapeake Entergy) vs. Mark Wren Alexander, Jamie Elaine Alexander, William Charles Alexander, Tina Lee Alexander and Sue Alexander was filed Sept. 11 in the Circuit Court of Faulkner County by Midstream attorney Jerry Canfield. The suit involves a 60-foot right-of-way for a pipeline, which would cross the Alexander's property connecting gas wells with a transmission line, ultimately, taking natural gas to market. In the suit, Midstream, citing eminent domain, requested the court to determine the amount of compensation due to the Alexander family for the right-of-way.

Mark and Bill Alexander said they had been working with the company several months and they were surprised when they were notified the suit had been filed.

"Since May, our lives have been literally turned upside down," said Bill Alexander, speaking on behalf of family. "We have bent over backwards to try to work with the company."

While they do not have a problem with the pipeline crossing the family's 62 acres, the family balked before taking compensation without a contract in writing stating the specifics.

"What they are wanting us to agree to is just too vague," Bill Alexander said in an interview last week. His brother, Mark, echoed the response.

"We have never told them no," Bill Alexander said. "We haven't demanded anything. We have tried to work with them. We thought we were working with them."

The brothers, who operate Alexander Construction, are concerned that a 30 by 50 shop they use for business purposes would be inside the easement or so close that it would prevent them from expanding and limit its use.

"They have never been able to promise us that it wouldn't be affected," Bill Alexander said. Asked about its value, he estimated $20,000.

According to a certified letter dated Aug. 20, the Alexanders were offered $900 for the easement rights. There was no mention as to a building being a part of the deal.

The Alexander family hired Little Rock attorney Kelly McNulty last week, and an injunction was filed earlier this week, Bill Alexander said, to stop "immediate possession of our land."

Thursday afternoon, to the Alexanders' surprise, they received a "courtesy call" from a representative of Midstream saying the lawsuit is soon to be null and void. Yet, the Alexander family has not received an official word on the matter as of Thursday.

"He (the company spokesman) said the gas well is dry and more or less they will see us around," Bill Alexander said. "It's over. They are dropping everything."

Attorneys for either Midstream or the Alexander family could not be reached Thursday evening.

While it may be over for Midstream, Bill Alexander said the family will still be out their attorney fees. And they can't help but wonder if it is "really over."

"Something is not right that this can happen," Bill Alexander said. "Did we just dodge a bullet temporarily? Will they be back? There are other wells."