Reed Galen and former Park City Mayor Dana Williams speak before the Utah Rules Review and General Oversight Committee, urging lawmakers to clarify referendum laws after thousands of signatures were invalidated in Summit County. Photo: Reed Galen_Dana Williams

PARK CITY, Utah — With legal fees climbing into the tens of thousands, the group behind a referendum effort to challenge the Dakota Pacific development near Kimball Junction is turning to the community for help.

Protect Summit County will host a “Community Shindig” on Sunday, Aug. 17, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Park City Brewing to raise money for ongoing legal fees. The event will feature live music, a silent auction, and a raffle.

“Our own tax dollars are being used against us to strip us of our right to vote,” the group said in a statement. “Average Summit County residents can’t shoulder this burden alone, but a few people with the means and will to stand up for democracy could make all the difference for us right now. If we lose this fight, everyone loses the ability to stand up to Dakota Pacific and to legislative interference.”

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The fundraiser comes as Protect Summit County, made up of a group of Summit County residents, pursues legal action against the County Clerk’s Office over its decision to reject signature packets that would have placed the development on the November ballot. The lawsuit, filed in Third District Court, claims Clerk Eve Furse wrongly disqualified signatures and exceeded her authority, blocking a valid referendum.

The event will raise funds to supplement those already raised from Protect Summit County’s GoFundMe campaign, which has raised almost $10,000 to date. Group members note that while taxpayers are supporting legal expenses through donations, taxpayers are also funding outside council hired by the Clerk to defend her decision.

Protect Summit County is set to go before Third District Court Judge Richard Mrazik on Tuesday, August 19 for a hearing. Although, it remains unclear how the outcome will affect the project’s future, as county officials cite a new state law, SB 26, which they say allows Dakota Pacific to move forward regardless of the referendum.