HomeMy WebLinkAboutMoti Money Trail-1995 Moti : No ties
With S i rn o n As to who did finance the law-
suit,Khemlani said that information
was subject to attorney/client privi-
Possibility of link between lege, answering the question with a
homeowners and rival mall question troops how
"Do you ask a general
where his troops are headed or h
developer is subject of probe mucKhemlan also said he isn't
through in fighting the Oviedo mall.
BY TIMOTHY ALLEN CONKLIN "We have the righttogoback anytime
STAFF REPORTER OF THE OVIEDO VOICE "(Khemlani)said he'd fight this if things don't work out," he said.
Moti Khemlani and the
to the bitter end," commissioner John "Our game plan is right on schedule
Ferring said Friday. "When they got on the mall issue,and I feel we will
Tuscawilla Homeowners Association to the discovery and the d�°sitions,
may have dropped their lawsuit prevail in the end." '
though, it was another story. "They
against the City of Winter Springs,but The City of Winter Springs may
new battles could be on the horizon didn't want o divulge where the man- still pursue legal action of its own.
ies for the lawsuit came from."
as the city continues to investigate Kruppenbacher is looking into the
possible ties between the THA and the Of special interest to Winter feasibility of a lawsuit against the
Springs officials is possible Property Group. P et P° TRA dismissed croup legal Costs ICTtn the
lion between the THA and the Simon dismissed suit.
Last week, the Winter Springs pro Group, is considering Krnppet comment on rnttld
City Commission unanimously di-
building P B notbe reached for comment on eillkt
reefed city attorney Frank building a mall in East Orlando,less investigation.
than 8 miles from Oviedo Crossing. Meanwhile, the Florida D
Kruppenbacher to look into the cir- The Orlando law firm which repre-surrounding the May 10 P mew of Community Affairs is con-
dismissal of the lawsuit by Khemlani rented the THA in its suit,Akerman, tinning its miew of the Oviedo Cross-
dismissal
the THA. At the time of the dis-
sents &Eidson,PA.,also repre- ing CPA (Comprehensive Plan
missal,THA persuaded Seminole Cir-
Since Simon. Amendment).That review is expected
coif Judge O.H. Eaton to seal deposi- Since only one of the proposed to be completed by late June and early
bons taken just days earlier. malls will be built, and legal action July, at which time the Seminole
In a phone interview last Thurs- delaying construction of the Oviedo County Land Planning Agency will
day,Khemlani said that the suit was mall would benefit Simon, city oP- again look at the plan,along with any
dropped because the Rouse Company, cials are questioning whether Simon recommendations by the DCA,before
which is planning development of the might have funded the THA lawsuit. passing the CPA along to the Semi-
Marketplace at Oviedo Crossing, no note County Commission for final '..
Longer sought to build a mall access "The (Tuscawilla) Homeowners approval
roadoffofWinter Springs Boulevard. Association certainly doesn't have the The Marketplace at Oviedo
Winter Springs officials, how- funding to take on this legal bill," Crossing is going as scheduled,"Tom
ever, contend that the dismissal had Ferring said. "Somebody's got to Morgan,dimctorofcorporatecon.jnu
little to do with Rouse's change in funding this suit." nications at A. Duda & Sons, Inc.,
plans and more to do with Khemlani's When asked directly about said Friday"We're hopingforaSep-
reluctance to reveal how the THA's Simon, Khemlani said, "Who's the temberor October grmmd-breakingso
lawsuit was being financed. Simon Group? I don't know who we can open in time for the Christ-
those people are." One can assume mss season in 1997."
Khemlani was being facetious.In the
May issue of the THA's newsletter,
Tuscawilla Today,Simon's mall plans
are mentioned on nage 13.
c -e& 0 /
Winter Springs' investigation
into Moti money trail continues
BY TIMOTHY ALLEN CONKLIN sion are attempting to find out how the lawsuit.
STAFF REPORTER OF THE OI'1EDO VOICE the THA and Khemlani were able to In other action, the commission
Winter Springs city attorney finance the suit and whether or not voted,4-1,to allowthesaleby the city
Frank Kmppenbacher told the Win- the Simon Property Group, a devel- of the old City Hall building on
ter Springs City Commission at its oper which is currently planning to Fairfax Avenue for$63,000 to Rich-
Monday meeting that the investiga- build a mall in East Orange just eight and Grogan.
tion of the lawsuit by the Tuscawilla miles from the Marketplace at Oviedo Commissioner Cindy Gennell
Homeowners Association and THA Crossing site,played any part in the was the lone dissenter, citing ongo-
president Moti Khemlani is still con- financing of the suit. ing road improvements that she be-
tinning. Of particular interest to the city Neves will increase the value of the
Kruppenbacher said that contrary is that the law firm that represented property within the next few years.
to prior press reports,the depositions the THA in their suit, Akerman, The commission also voted,4-1,
taken before the THA dropped its suit Senterfitt&Eidson,P.A.,also repre- also with Gennell dissenting,to pass
were not sealed, and that he is cur- sents Simon."I'll tell you something," an ordinance that will make members
rently reviewing the transcripts of Kruppenbacher said to the commis- of appointed or elected city boards
those depositions. sion. "I have never seen a lawyer of who sue the city or who are a mem-
Kruppenbacher said he would Hal Cantor's caliber,representing de- ber of the board of an organization
have a clearer idea of whether the city velopers all the time, represent a which sues the city eligible to be dis-
commission had grounds to sue the homeowner's group. missed from their city post. Gennell
THA and Khemlani for court and tax "It is significantly out of the or- was concerned that the ordinance was
fees at its next meeting June 26. He dinary. You just don't see that." too vague, that it infringed on the
said that he did not believe the city Kruppenbacher is also investigating rights of citizens and that the ordi-
wouldbe able to recover attorney fees. whether or not the THA's board of nonce covered statutes that are already
Kruppenbacher and the commis- directors approved the pursuance of on the city's books.
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