L&L Business Associates offer to settle with JDA

Members of the Grady County Joint Development Authority had the chance to sit down and talk face-to-face with officials of a local business that is suing the authority for damages caused by a leaky roof at the Heritage Industrial Complex.
Steve and Dallas Strickland of L&L Business Associates appeared before the authority with photo evidence of damaged wood products and machinery sitting in as much as “four inches of water.”
Late last year, L&L filed suit against the authority and, prior to that, the authority had threatened eviction because of the company’s failure to pay rent.
Steve Strickland told JDA members it was his hope to “keep this out of court.” The L&L officials are willing to settle for approximately $13,000 if the authority will make much needed repairs to the roof.
Strickland said a lack of communication with former executive directors Rick McCaskill and Brian Marlowe had forced him to seek court action against the authority.
Interim JDA Executive Director Tom Berry said that, unfortunately, if there had been communications or commitments made by the two former directors, the authority was never fully briefed and the files contain no documented evidence of talks with L&L officials.
JDA member Chuck Thomas asked Berry if he had questioned Brian Marlowe about Strickland’s assertions and the interim director indicated he had not.
Chairman Charles M. Stafford thanked the Stricklands for attending Tuesday’s meeting and told them the authority would contact them at a later date.
Prior to adjournment, the authority went behind closed doors to discuss the L&L suit and a possible negotiated settlement.
Berry says the authority is interested in trying to reach an agreement with the company, but he said JDA Attorney Thomas L. Lehman would have to work out the details of a counter offer.