Empire Sports Bar owner presses Brooklawn council for $7,238 interest after double-payment error

The owner of Empire Sports Bar, speaking during the public-comment period, urged Brooklawn Borough Council to pay $7,238 in interest he said he is owed after a title-company mistake led to a double payment and an erroneous lien on his property. He said the payment initially showed up in the town’s utility account and that he has repeatedly had to ask the borough for resolution.

Mayor Granstrom responded that the council is preparing a resolution to reimburse the previously discussed utility overpayment but that interest has not been authorized. The mayor said he would contact staffer Ryan after the meeting and call the business owner with an update: “I will contact Ryan tonight and I will give you a phone call,” he told the commenter.

The owner also raised a separate operational complaint about trash pickup and said he intended to put a commercial dumpster on site; council members said borough rules limit certain containers and that a trash study is underway to clarify which properties qualify for municipal pickup.

The meeting record shows the council has already approved reimbursement for the duplicated payment on tonight’s agenda but has not voted to pay interest; the mayor said staffing shortages and the absence of Ryan from the meeting delayed full answers. He promised to deliver more facts after consulting staff.

No formal motion on interest was made during the meeting. The mayor said the administration will provide the commenter with an update following the meeting.