Town attorney reports progress in Infinite Batteries property dispute; appraisers to be appointed

Attorney Reed updated the Utility Board that a hearing in the Infinite Batteries case concerning the sanitary lift station and the Shannon Bridge/Prior Ridge property concluded without the court granting the injunction the opposing party sought. Reed said the court left appointment of appraisers to the parties and that the town will file an order by next Friday to add appraisers and indemnify the other party from the time they took ownership until now.

Reed said two of the three appraisers have been identified and will be sworn in; the appraisers will submit a valuation to the court within about 30 days and that timeline will allow the town to pay the reported amount to the clerk and move forward. Reed also said the town has arranged to add the other party to the town's commercial general liability (CGL) policy through Agent Brown as of that day.

The attorney described the property as difficult to appraise because it does not fit typical commercial or residential categories and functions as a government-serving facility; the judge left the selection of appraisers largely to the parties because of that complexity. Reed said the process "went very smoothly" and staff expects an order and formal appraiser appointments next week.