Their business was displaced due to the bridge project and Phillips and Combs were offered a settlement to vacate the building so the project could move forward.
Commissioner Larry Brady explained that on Feb. 21, 2012 the county started an agreement with the pair which then begun the 18-month period in which other claims could be submitted for payment consideration. According to the county’s paperwork, the deadline to submit claims was in August 2013.
Combs and Phillips submitted a claim in November 2013 as they were reportedly told that their said agreement between the county took effect when they vacated the building which was June 26, 2012. According to their paperwork, their last claim would have been submitted within the proper timeframe.
Jeff Larrison from United Consulting urged the pair to speak with INDOT’s Relocation Specialist, Susan Franklin, and Combs said they had met with her previously and believes she was given erroneous information.
With the disagreement in timelines, the commissioners denied the recent claim and Combs indicated that the next step would be litigation.
