Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic is scrapping the city’s plans to seek legal fees and other expenses from the lawyer — and longtime mayoral critic — who filed suit against the city on behalf of Larry Modic.
The mayor said in a news release Tuesday that he was unaware of his law department’s court filing in the ongoing suit and has asked that the motion be withdrawn.
Modic’s attorney, Warner Mendenhall, said in response: “It makes common sense to withdraw their motion. All I’m trying to do is represent a client for free. It goes along those lines that no good deed goes unpunished.”
The case revolves around Modic, a veteran who says he wasn’t told the Manchester Road house he bought had been condemned and was slated to be torn down. He garnered media attention when he threatened to kill anyone who tried to raze it.
Mendenhall filed suit hoping to block the demolition. But a Summit County Common Pleas judge ruled in favor of the city and the home was torn down last month.
The overall lawsuit, which questions the city’s authority to raze the house, is still going forward.
In the city news release, the mayor said he wants the city to determine who is responsible for selling a home that was already condemned without notifying the new owner.
“Larry, at this point, doesn’t need the city’s help or wants it — unless they want to build him a new house,” Mendenhall said.
Plusquellic also said he’s urging City Council to pass legislation requiring property owners to provide written notice of pending building or housing code violations before the transfer or sale of property.