TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE APPROVES UP TO $10,000 FOR MVA POST OFFICE LAWSUIT LEGAL FEES

The Township Committee on Tuesday night authorized spending up to $10,000 in legal fees for the Maplewood Village Alliance to defend itself against a lawsuit challenging its approval of the former Maplewood Village Post Office redevelopment plan.

The legal fees are in addition to fees the Township will have to pay to defend itself in the same lawsuit.

The TC voted, 5-0, to authorize funding for the MVA legal defense, which Township Attorney Roger Desiderio said would be rated at $175 per hour for the attorney likely to handle the case for the MVA. 

He added that the Township will also have to pay some $200 per hour for its own legal defense in the same case.

That means the Township will pay about $375 per hour for legal defense resulting from the lawsuit.

The lawsuit was filed May 26 by Village Keepers Inc., claiming the MVA did not follow proper procedures before approving the post office plan.

See the TC discussion on the issue below:




Several residents then spoke out in favor of the MVA and opposed the lawsuit.