Lawyers for $1.2 million MAT Asphalt settlement to explain lawsuit at public meeting

Lawyers representing neighbors of MAT Asphalt in McKinley Park will hold a community meeting Tuesday to answer questions about a proposed $1.2 million court settlement over nuisance complaints.

A Cook County Circuit Court judge last month ordered an extension of deadlines for residents to file a claim, opt out or object to the agreement. The deadlines, initially set for January, are now set for March 15.

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Neil Cohen also told lawyers for lead plaintiff Tanisha Rodriguez to hold the community meeting to answer all the residents’ questions.

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The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at the Richard M. Daley Public Library at 733 N. Kedzie in Humboldt Park, which irritated some residents who questioned why the law firm would plan a meeting 6 miles north of McKinley Park.

Rodriguez’s lawyer, Laura Sheets, a partner with the Detroit law firm Liddle Sheets Coulson, told the Sun-Times that Tuesday’s meeting will be held in Humboldt Park, but she’s open to additional community meetings.

Any further meetings or information will be posted at www.lsccounsel.com/matasphaltsettlement, she said.

A final court hearing for the class-action lawsuit is scheduled for April 26.

Anyone who lived within a half mile of MAT Asphalt at any point since its first month of operation in July 2018 is potentially eligible to make a claim for part of the settlement money.

There were hundreds of complaints over smells and nuisance related to MAT Asphalt, which is a city contractor that drew community protests before it opened for business.

The plant is in a planned manufacturing district and that allowed MAT to open for business without public engagement. The state of Illinois was supposed to notify neighbors because McKinley Park is considered an “environmental justice” community, a label used to describe areas already overburdened with pollution.

Michael Tadin Jr., who co-owns the plant, has said he’s eager to resolve the case. MAT “vigorously denies all allegations” as part of the settlement.

Tadin’s lawyers argued against extending the period of time for people to opt out of the settlement — a move that would potentially allow additional lawsuits in the future.

Judge Cohen, however, sided with residents who argued the process was being rushed.

“All of the terms seemed to be more beneficial to MAT Asphalt than to residents,” said Sonia Monet Saxon, who spoke at last month’s court hearing.