Olivieri Responds to Park District's Claims on Litigation

MOKENA, IL - The Olivieri Brothers firm and its attorneys have responded to a Mokena Park District news release outlining the details of two lawsuits brought forth against the Frankfort-based firm.

In the lawsuit regarding the standing water at the Fox Ridge tennis courts, partner John Olivieri wrote on Wednesday that the Park District has been aware of puddles on the courts since before they were completed "but gave the okay to complete them anyhow."

Olivieri also claims the courts are only supposed to last for five years before they would need to be re-painted or maintained.

Related on Patch: Park District Sues Firm Over Water on Tennis Courts

"This lawsuit was instigated more than 4 years after the tennis courts were complete and is therefore a waste of public funds being spent on attorney fees to address tennis courts that the Park District will be responsible for repaving next year anyhow," he said. "Even if the Park District were to succeed in its lawsuit, which it won’t, the amount of money it would be entitled to recover will be far exceeded by the money it spends on its attorney.

In response to the Park District's claims against the Olivieri Brothers in the case involving Yunker Farms, Olivieri says there is "no factual basis" for any of the park's claims.

"Almost all of the contractors and individuals involved with the Project can corroborate the fact that the Park District’s claims are baseless," he said.

"The election of the current majority on the Park District Board in April 2015 resulted in a breakdown of communications between and among Board members, the contractor for the Project, Henry Brothers, and Olivieri Brothers," he added, noting that his firm performed more than $73,000 in services on the project for free. "The Board also made numerous uninformed decisions without consulting Olivieri Brothers, which ultimately caused the Project delays and additional costs for which the current Board now complains. In particular, the Board terminated the Park District’s Executive Director in the middle of the Project without a replacement, after assuring Olivieri Brothers it would not do so. This caused the Park District to lose any ability to manage the Project effectively and expeditiously."