City has to search for owners of Letters and Logos

One of the city of Vandalia’s first steps in attempting to recoup loan money given to a local industry is finding the owners of that industry.

In January and February in Fayette County Circuit Court, the city was granted temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions against Letters and Logos Inc., and its owners, Mr. and Mrs. Jess Buehler.

The city filed suit against the Buehlers in January, claiming that the couple, which operated a sign business in the former Crane Packing building owned by Walt Barenfanger, still owes a little less than $90,000 on two $75,000 loans the city gave them in March 2006.

Because the Buehlers have defaulted on the loan, according to court documents, the city has security interest in machinery and equipment owned by the couple.

Those documents state that the owner of the building used by the Buehlers has temporary locked it to prevent them from entering, due to non-payment of rent.

The city states in its requests for temporary restraining orders and injunctions that it believes that the couple has no assets and that the equipment in the building “may be the only recoverable assests to satisfy (the city’s) judgment.”

The city also states that it wanted a restraining order and injunction because it believes that the Buehlers may attempt to remove that equipment.

The restraining order prohibits the Buehlers from removing that equipment from the building.

The city has had to seek three restraining orders and injunctions due to the fact that each order and injunction is good for 10 days.