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The village of La Grange and three community leaders have been sued in federal court by the bank and property management firm that worked unsuccessfully with a Berwyn businessman to open a pawn shop in downtown La Grange last year, ChicagoBreakingNews.com (CBN) reported last night.
The suit was filed earlier this month in U.S. District Court in Chicago by Oxford Bank & Trust and Fifth Avenue Property Management, CBN reported.
La Grange Today confirmed today through a source with knowledge of the lawsuit that it was filed July 9. But a copy of the filed document has not yet been obtained.
Individually named in the lawsuit are Village President Elizabeth Asperger, Village Manager Robert Pilipiszyn and Michael LaPidus, former president of the La Grange Business Association.
The suit claims that the three conspired last year to block a pawnshop from opening at 71 S La Grange Rd in the village's central business district after its owner, Andrew Grayson, already had been issued a business license.
The plaintiffs claim their constitutional rights were violated when the village refused to issue Grayson a building permit and amended a zoning ordinance to exclude pawnshops following the outcry that arose when residents and business owners saw a window sign Grayson put up announcing the planned opening of All Star Jewelry & Loan.
Fifth Avenue Property Management says it arranged the store lease for Grayson.
Contacted at his Village Hall office around 12:30 p.m. today, Pilipiszyn did not confirm or deny the report.
"I'm still going through my mail," Pilipiszyn said.
Grayson, reached by phone this afternoon, said he was aware of the suit but is not party to it. But Grayson said a suit he filed against the village and his landlord, Fifth Avenue Properties, last year has been dropped. Instead, he too has filed a case in federal court.
The two Fifth Avenue companies may be related, but that could not be confirmed at this time.
The lawsuits likely were the topic of discussion at a special closed meeting held Monday night by the village board of trustees following its regular session.
Illinois public bodies are required to cite an exception to the state's Open Meetings Act before convening in closed session. Asperger Monday night announced that the village board meet privately to discuss ongoing or pending litigation. The law does not require that the parties or nature of the litigation be disclosed.
Related stories from our archives:
- Pawnbroker files lawsuit against village, landlord
- Pawn shop fears gone, but shame & disappointment linger over how village officials handled the affair
- Downtown zoning changes adopted by village board almost certain to scuttle plans for pawn shop
- Listen to audio excerpts from the public hearing on the proposal to ban pawn shops from downtown
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