Opinion ID: 853621
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Events Themselves

Text: Celebration Fireworks once rented property within the city limits of Plymouth, and it had disputes with the city over the sale of fireworks. At one point, Plymouth sought injunctive relief against Celebration. Celebration contracted to rent space at George Kendall's motorcycle dealership because his building is one block outside the city limits. Kendall's shop is, however, within the Plymouth Fire Department's service area. In the midst of the busy fireworks season on July 2, 1993, Plymouth Fire Chief Wayne Smith went to conduct a safety inspection at Kendall's dealership, where Celebration was setting up shop. According to Celebration's complaint, Smith, in his capacity as fire chief, told the lessor that [t]hese people do not pay their bills. (R. at 20.) [1] He urged Kendall to [g]et your money in advance, and said, These people are gypsies. (R. at 5.) In a deposition, Kendall said he knew Smith in his capacity as fire chief because Smith had been conducting fire inspections of Kendall's motorcycle business for about fifteen years. He testified that Smith told him he was in the shop in his capacity as city fire chief. Kendall recalled that Smith spent about five minutes in his shop and looked around some before he left. He said Smith appeared upset that Celebration would be renting space from him. (R. at 51-52.) During the visit Smith told him that a firewall would have to be constructed to separate the fireworks sale area from the rest of the motorcycle shop. Celebration asserts Smith was attempting to talk Kendall out of leasing the space in an effort to keep Celebration out of Marshall County. Celebration also alleges it had to pay additional rent as a result of those statements.