Don Lepard, CEO of Global Green Lighting, is photographed near street lights his company installed along Frazier Avenue in North Chattanooga.Lawyers representing Global Green Lighting founder Don Lepard say that EPB is withholding information requested in the current, ongoing 120-day discovery phase that will determine whether Lepard’s whistleblower suit is thrown out or goes forward.
Lepard at one time was hired by the city to take down and replace thousands of old streetlights. While removing the old lights, Lepard says he discovered years of overbilling by EPB. He says the public utility falsely recorded powering a certain type of streetlights for many years.
Lepard reported the discrepancies and said EPB responded to his actions by bullying his company, to the point that Global Green Lighting ultimately lost its city contract.
A whistleblower lawsuit followed in which Lepard is trying to sue on behalf of the city to recover what he claims are improper streetlighting charges by EPB to the city.
In November, Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge Jeff Hollingsworth responded to EPB’s motion to dismiss the suit by granting EPB and Lepard 120 days to gather evidence supporting their positions.