Jury awards Dedeaux Utility $8.1 million plus interest
“A jury on Friday awarded Dedeaux Utility Co. $8,063,981 plus interest, possibly ending a dispute that has been ongoing since Gulfport seized the utility by eminent domain as part of the 1994 annexation of Orange Grove.
The trial began Dec. 16 and concluded Friday afternoon. The jury set a fair market value of $7,082,778 for the water and sewer company that had 1,300 customers when the petition for eminent domain was filed in December 1996. The jury put a value of $981,203 on the company’s assets from 1996 until those assets were taken eight years later in 2004.
The utility served the area between Three Rivers, Cowan and O’Neal roads, north of Interstate 10.
“We’re pleased that the case is moving in the right direction,” said Peter Abide, who along with Harry Allen represents Dedeaux Utility. Although the company or Gulfport can appeal the decision, he said, “We hope that the current administration will move this into the resolution stage rather than the courtroom stage.””
Perez, Mary. Sun Herald 23 December 2013.