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Property owner disputes eviction, board pauses meeting to discuss counteroffer
Summary
At a Town of Elizabeth board meeting, a property owner said they had invested $117,000 renovating a building used by the fire department and offered $60,000 to resolve a dispute; the board voted to pause the public meeting and return to executive session to consider a counteroffer and evidence of investment.
The Town of Elizabeth board paused its public meeting on June 24 to move into executive session after a property owner disputed an eviction and urged the board to accept a $60,000 offer to settle claims about a building used by the fire department.
The matter drew extended public comment. A property owner told the board, “We had $117,000 invested in the building to renovate it, get it back up, and make it a viable building. That's all we asking for is just to refund our money that we had invested in the building.” The owner said they were not seeking the $200,000 figure cited by the board but only to recoup renovation costs.
Why it matters: the building has been used by the local fire group for decades, and the owner said the structure remains in active limited use for equipment and vehicle storage. Board members said the town has appraisals showing a higher value and described a gap between the town’s $60,000 offer and the owner’s $200,000 figure; one board member summarized, “The ball's really in our court. They're 200, we're at 60.”
Board procedure and next steps: board members recommended pausing the regular meeting to resume executive session to discuss a counteroffer and to review documentation of the owner’s claimed investments. The chair explained that the board could ask the owners to provide proof of the $117,000 in work before making a public decision. The board motioned and seconded to pause and return to executive session to negotiate; members noted the dispute would likely proceed to mediation if not resolved and warned both sides about legal costs.
What was said: the owner provided a list of renovations they said had been completed, including structural stabilization by United Dynamics, tuckpointing, new exterior paint, insulation, standing-seam metal roofing, garage-door replacements, and resurfacing and sealing. The owner said the work kept the building usable and that finding comparable property with an existing building in Elizabeth would be difficult.
The meeting record shows no final public decision on the building’s status; the board left the regular session to discuss a potential counteroffer in executive session. Any formal offer or settlement, and any vote in open session, would be announced after the board reconvenes.
