VP: Stinger not removing assets

Entangled in litigation, Stinger Welding, Inc., the steel bridge and span builder with nearly four years of operation in Libby, is fighting for its life.

In a recent editorial and a subsequent interview with a Flathead County publication, Steve Patrick, Stinger vice president of northwest operations, said the operation in Libby is handcuffed by litigation, which includes federal tax liens, a lawsuit from creditors and a suit form the Port Authority, an entity that once was instrumental in bringing Stinger to Lincoln County.

“I meant what I said,” Patrick said Monday about the editorial that was critical of the Port Authority lawsuit. “Legally, I can’t really say that much more, and I mean that.”

Patrick was asked about Stinger’s future in Libby, and he was quick with a response.

“Let’s hope there is a future,” he said.

The brief interview concluded with a final question as to whether Stinger was removing assets from the mammoth bridge-assembly plant located on Port Authority property.

“Nope,” Patrick said.

Since the filing of the lawsuit, there has not been an open line of communication. For example, Kootenai River Development Council Executive Director Paul Rumelhart, who had almost weekly conversations with Stinger officials before the suit, now refers questions to Attorney Allan Payne.

Because of that lack of dialogue, Lincoln County officials are concerned assets from the building valued at more than $3 million could be relocated if Stinger scaled back its Libby operation.

Lincoln County Presiding Commissioner Tony Berget on Friday expressed concern that could be a possibility. However, litigation that was filed in October could impede asset removal, Berget said.

“We’re thinking everything is kind of tied up in the lawsuit,” Berget said.

Also, the county signed off on grants that helped Stinger acquire the massive overhead cranes it uses to move structures, Berget said.

Payne, the Port Authority attorney, on Monday said his client is proceeding with its lawsuit against Stinger.

“We heard from the Stinger attorney who asked that we afford them more time since the death of its CEO, which we granted. However, our main concern is the $3-plus million building that is a Port Authority asset. We’re concerned about the county and the building,” Payne said from his Helena office. 

“We all feel bad about what happened to (Stinger CEO) Carl Douglas, but Stinger’s problems started long before Carl’s death. Perhaps, Carl juggled all the business transactions, and now they have no one to do that. This lawsuit is not the reason for Stinger’s problems,” Payne said referring to Patrick’s guest editorial that suggested Stinger would do better had it not had to deal with the Port Authority lawsuit.

Douglas was killed in the early morning hours of Dec. 18 when he crashed his aircraft into Swede Mountain as he approached Libby Airport just after midnight. Douglas and Stinger employee John Smith died in the crash.

Stinger Welding, Inc., is in receivership. A call Monday to MCA Financial Group of Arizona for comment went unreturned.