Seneca City Council Approves Authorization To Settle Ongoing City Lawsuit With Elford Haynes; City To Purchase Old Harper’s Building In Downtown

(Seneca, SC)——After returning from executive session last night during a Special Called Seneca City Council meeting, City Council authorized City Administrator Scott Moulder and Seneca Mayor Dan Alexander to sign a settlement agreement in the ongoing lawsuit between the city and Elford Haynes.

Moulder could not discuss the details on the settlement agreement last night since it has not been signed and finalized, however, the agreement will allow the city to purchase the old Harper’s building in downtown Seneca.  The settlement will address any other legal matters that have arisen from the litigation, including lien’s that the placed on other property and the fines and fees that have accumulated over the course of the legal proceedings.

In regards to the amount of money that was agreed upon to settle the ongoing litigation, Moulder said that while he could not comment on the amount because the agreement has yet to be signed, Moulder said “….there was an amount we were willing to pay.”

The purpose of buying the building, according to Moulder, was “to continue with the rebirth of downtown” and “to rid ourselves of a building that has been condemned and needs to be renovated or demolished.”

Moulder said that he has ideas of what he would like to see the building become but he says he will defer to the wishes of City Council in that regard.

Moulder says that the document has received approval from the attorney’s and the parties on both sides.  Moulder assumes that within the next week, the document will be signed with the legal filings of the order to probably take a little longer.  The total process may take as long as 60 days, according to Moulder, upon which the city will be able to own the old Harper’s building in downtown Seneca.