WARREN Official: Avalon suit will take time

A criminal defense attorney says her client is cooperating with the FBI.
By AMANDA C. DAVIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Those waiting for resolve in the situation between the city and Avalon South Golf Course need to have a little patience.
Attorneys from both sides have been meeting to discuss the lawsuit filed against the city by Tony Joy Jr., who runs the municipal course on a lease agreement.
"It will be long and drawn out," city Law Director Greg Hicks said last week.
Both sides will sit down this week to discuss the situation which prompted Joy to file the suit, alleging breach of contract and trying to head off his eviction.
The Vindicator profiled problems at the course in October, following citizen complaints that Joy defaulted on a $425,000 loan for improvements and fell behind in rent payments and property tax.
Panel has met: Since then, an Avalon South committee of city council was convened. It has met a few times and can continue to, but Hicks said any suggestions it makes will be put on hold while issues are worked out with attorneys.
Its chairman, Atty. Brendan Keating, D-5th, said the committee will continue to meet and may seek outside opinions to bring ideas to the group. He didn't elaborate.
"We still want to make a recommendation," he added.
The course is open for business despite ongoing litigation.
"My intent is to stay here and operate this course, at least for the season, unless the courts say otherwise," Joy said last week.
Handling his lawsuit are attorneys Dan Thomas Jr., Tom LaPolla and Rick Schwartz, who has told the city Joy put his heart into running the course.
Criminal defense Atty. Maridee Costanzo is representing Joy in matters relating to the Avalon South clubhouse, which the FBI is investigating.
The lawsuit says Joy had a sprinkler system installed in 1992 for $231,835 and a clubhouse was supposed to be remodeled for an estimated $150,000.
Joy says the city engineering department told him Jan. 3, 1995, the clubhouse could be rebuilt for slightly more.
He says it ended up costing $270,000 for a contract for which the city never sought bids.
The cost of the clubhouse, on top of what was still owed on the sprinkling system, was more than the $425,000 loan Joy secured in 1995 from Second National Bank, the lawsuit states.
davis@vindy.com