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Assistant Town Manager Marianna Marysheva-Martinez said it’s a positive sign that mediation talks are continuing.

“A chance for settlement.” That’s what Mammoth’s Assistant Town Manager said about mediation talks between the Town and Mammoth Lakes Land acquisition.

Marianna Marysheva-Martinez said the court-ordered mediation talks Monday and Tuesday will now continue into Thursday (today). She called this a positive development. The details and nature of talks remain confidential. At stake – MLLA’s lawsuit judgment debt against Mammoth Lakes in the amount of $43 million.

Earlier this week, discussions took place in the law offices of MLLA’s attorneys in Los Angeles. Participants from the Town of Mammoth included Town Manager Dave Wilbrecht, Marysheva-Martinez and attorneys Zack Clement and Ken Klee. Thursday’s continued mediation talks were scheduled to happen by phone.

Asked why the continued mediation talks are positive, Martinez said, “If we did not have much to discuss then mediation would have ended after the first day, and,” she said, “this also means there is a chance for settlement.”

Meanwhile, in Mammoth Lakes the Town Council held two special closed session meetings Monday and Tuesday with another now set for Thursday (today) at 11am. Martinez confirmed that these special meetings are being held to allow the Town Council to respond to Chapter 9 bankruptcy proceedings and to discuss ongoing mediations.

Bankruptcy Court Judge Thomas Holman had ordered the Town and MLLA to go to mediations before proceeding with any other hearings. Attorneys representing Mammoth had asked for expedited hearings to determine the Town’s eligibility for bankruptcy protection, but MLLA lawyers asked for more time to gather information.

There is currently no date set for the eligibility hearing although at last word, MLLA was ordered to submit objections to Mammoth’s bankruptcy case on
August 24th.

Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Perris is mediating current talks between the two adversaries.

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