AJ News

Gerard Hetman

CLARKS SUMMIT - After “a long day of negotiations,” it was announced by
Clarks Summit Borough Manager Virginia Kehoe on Tuesday afternoon, Dec.
22, that the borough has reached an agreement on a settlement in the
Grandview Street court case. “Both parties have shown commitment and
flexibility and have come to an agreement,” said Kehoe in a statement
issued Tuesday.

Under the terms discussed Tuesday, according to Kehoe, Clarks Summit
Borough will pay $ 1.995 million to land owner Amato and developer Noto.

If approved by Clarks Summit Borough Council, the settlement will bring
to a close a dispute that has been ongoing since November of 2003, when
the borough closed a section of Grandview Street that provided access to
land that was owned by Peter Amato and was being developed by Michael Noto.

In September, 2009, a jury in Lackawanna County upheld a verdict that
the borough would need to pay $2.315 million. With accrued legal fees
and interest, the expenses could have totaled as much as $4.6 million,
had a settlement not been reached.

Tuesday’s decision comes at the end of a day of negotiations between
Attorneys Ernie Preate and Robert Graci, on behalf of Clarks Summit
Borough, and Attorney Patrick Lavelle, on behalf of Noto and Amato. The
session was also attended by the entire Clarks Summit Borough Council,
and was moderated by Judge Carmen Minora.

The settlement will now be voted on by council in a special meeting that
will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 30, at 5 p.m.