The problem with lawsuits in the village just keeps going. The latest is one filed on June 2 by Jane Forman, the former operator of the tennis facility at Coral Reef Park.
The Jane Forman Tennis Academy had been there since 1989, signed a lease agreement with the county in 2002, signed a new lease agreement with the Village of Palmetto Bay which called for her to pay for improvements she wanted to make. In the new agreement, the village said it would reimburse her for half those costs if it chose not to renew her contract.
Then in 2008 and 2009 there was a dispute over whether Forman, who had been paying the utilities fees for the tennis facility, should also pay for the cost of the east parking lot lights after park closing time at 7 p.m. each day, since the tennis facility stayed open until 10 p.m. To make a long story short, Forman ended up paying the costs to avoid having her operating hours shortened to daylight only.
Forman’s lease ran out in April of this year and the village council voted not to renew it. In May the village sent her notice that they would pay her half the construction costs, plus interest, but deducted about $20,000 to cover accounting fees, permits and a bunch of other costs that Forman believes are unfair.
So now this is headed to the 11th Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade County where the costs of litigation will make a small dispute a lot worse. Couldn’t this have been resolved without the lawyers?
And don’t forget that the ongoing Palmer Trinity lawsuit still is pending because of decisions by elected officials. More costs for the taxpaying residents of the village.
Palmetto Bay is a small community that prides itself on its hometown atmosphere. Wouldn’t it make sense for everyone on both sides of any dispute to just sit down face-to-face and work out things? Times are tough, and only the lawyers will benefit from these ongoing battles.
Why can’t everybody just get along?
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