MERCER COUNTY Winner's checks remain uncashed

The county development authority is holding the checks, because $13,000 is still in dispute.
SHARON, Pa. -- The Mercer County Industrial Development Authority said it received two checks from Winner Development LLC but it won't be cashing them right away.
The authority and businessman James E. Winner Jr. are in a legal dispute over administrative fees the authority said it incurred on the company's behalf in going after a $7 million state grant to help redevelop the old Westinghouse Electric plant on Sharpsville Avenue.
No grant
The grant was never secured and Winner backed away from the arrangement with the authority, but the authority says it wants to be paid for $44,000 in services provided.
Winner paid $13,000 of that amount months ago but balked at paying the rest, saying it didn't owe the money.
Authority sues
The authority filed suit to get the remaining $31,000. Earlier this week the company said that after reviewing further documentation of authority claims, it issued checks of $11,151 and $5,781 to cover some of those costs, leaving about $13,000 still in dispute.
An authority spokesman said Friday that the checks were received but not cashed.
They didn't come with any cover letter or real explanation of how they are to be applied to the claim, the spokesman said.
The authority's solicitor will send a letter to Winner's attorney before any decision is made to cash or return the checks, the spokesman said.