Business Sues City
| While the mayor and councilmen were getting ready for
the election, Lenoir City business owner, Ms. Kimberly Cook, filed a
lawsuit against the city. Ms. Cook, owner of Wear Else Clothing store
located at 303 East Broadway, has filed a "Complaint And Petition For
Inverse Condemnation." The legal action is in response to what is
referred in the suit as "unlawful, wanton and oppressive acts by the
city" for taking her interest, lease, without paying her. Wear Else is located in the block the city is taking for the future city hall. The owner of the building has come to terms with the city and the city has purchased the building. However, Ms. Cook has a five year lease of the building with an optional five year extension. The city will have to compensate Ms. cook for her lease agreement with the property owner. The suit maintains that the city has failed to compensate Ms. Cook for her lease, moving expenses or come to any agreement. The suit is asking for a jury trial and goes on to ask the court to award Ms. Cook damages of $50,000.00, moving expenses, the cost of reestablishing her business and punitive damages for the city's "wanton, oppressive, intentional, reprehensible and egregious conduct" in taking her leasehold interest in the property "without offering to pay her just compensation for the taking." No trial date has yet been set. |
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11/10/08