2/20/08 - County to settle with William St. homeowners

(As published by Cortland Standard, Evan Geibel reporting)

The county will settle with the owners of a home that had been included in the failed south Main Street public health building property purchase if the Cortland County Legislature agrees with a Budget and Finance Committee’s recommendation.

The committee approved a $12,475 settlement for James and Yvonne Cole of 11 William St., based upon negotiations originally conducted by former County Attorney Ric Van Donsel and recommended at a Nov. 29 meeting of the committee.

County Administrator Scott Schrader took issue with another settlement whose approval Van Donsel had recommended, and the Cole property was caught up in the controversy.

Budget and Finance Committee chair John Troy (D-1st Ward) said he didn’t see any hurdles for the settlement when it is brought to the full Legislature for a vote on Feb. 28.

“The Cole property kind of got swept under the table, but the county attorney and Scott Schrader both recommended the settlement on the property,” Troy said Tuesday afternoon.
Schrader was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

“Under the circumstances, it appears to me to be fair and reasonable,” current County Attorney Mark Suben said Tuesday morning.

The Coles had originally requested $20,000 after the county backed out of purchasing their home for $90,000. The Legislature had decided to purchase a total of nine properties on and near south Main Street in December 2006 with the intent to construct a public health facility to house the Health and Mental Health departments.

It then backed out of those agreements in January, prompting a lawsuit in which a judge ruled the county had violated a valid contract to purchase the properties.

While the county has agreed to purchase the two commercial properties involved in the deal, three of the residential property owners sought settlements from the county for damages incurred after the original purchase fell through.