Old Lyme couple recruits reinforcements in Tantummaheag Landing fight
The issue revolves around a strip of land bisecting Frampton's property on its way to
First Selectwoman
Frampton a former partner with
Shoemaker has not yet spoken with the attorney assigned by the insurance company, she said.
The draft lawsuit against the town of
Schiller's letter said the couple is willing to allow continued foot traffic on the site. But the attorney emphasized the lawsuit will be filed and the landing permanently closed to the public if a compromise agreement is not reached "that fully protects the Framptons' property rights and represents a fair and just accounting for the Town's continuing illegal conduct."
The situation has escalated over the years to threats, public harassment and physical invasions of the property, according to Schiller.
"These violations will no longer be tolerated," he wrote.
Town attorney
Instead, Collins and a consulting title attorney argued the road was established in the 1700s as a "highway" between
But he said Putin didn't go to court "he went to war."
Shoemaker declined to comment further until she consults with the CIRMA-designated attorney.
Among the issues up for discussion with the attorney is a stalled plan she announced in June to bring in a licensed surveyor to map the property and then to remove any obstructions on what the town considers to be its land.
Prospective defendants
The officials named in the draft lawsuit in both their official and individual capacities are Shoemaker, Selectwoman
The remaining sitting selectman,
A previous compromise was scuttled in April when a deal negotiated by Lampos was rejected by Shoemaker and Read. The agreement would have allowed people to use the road on foot from
A petition started one week before the vote on change.org by Mesham, a former Republican first selectman candidate, had amassed 355 signatures at the time of the vote. The petition urged town leaders to reject the agreement that could alter access to a "cherished local landmark."
The draft lawsuit claims Griswold, Shoemaker, Read, Barnes, Lewis and Mesham over the past three years have trespassed on the property "to inspect the area and intimidate the plaintiffs."
The document claims the same people, minus Shoemaker, made defamatory statements to others in town and on social media that harmed the couple's reputation.
The self-described elite litigation firm founded by
On the firm's website, Schiller is credited as co-lead counsel in a
Bulldozing effort
The draft lawsuit alleges officials have continued to promote public access to the site, install signage and remove plantings despite the couple's assertion there is no evidence the land belongs to the town.
"As the Framptons have repeatedly communicated to Town officials, extensive research carried out by the Framptons at their own expense has established that the Town has no basis at all for claiming any ownership interest in, or right to use, the Framptons' property," Schiller wrote.
The couple has documented a paper trail going back to the 18th century that shows the town hasn't had a rightful claim to the land for almost 300 years.
The Framptons called out Griswold, the former first selectman, for his role in bringing in bulldozing equipment to clear plantings and invasive aquatic weeds from the site while accompanied by police cruisers.
Griswold on Wednesday said Shoemaker told him a meeting will be scheduled to include the
He said he'd like to hear from the CIRMA attorney as well as from Collins and the consulting title attorney.
"It would be interesting to see if they all come out on the same page," he said. "I guess that conversation needs to happen."
Griswold questioned the Framptons' move to include Mesham in the prospective lawsuit.
"Having no direct board or commission activity, you'd think he's just a citizen and he would be entitled to his own opinion," he said.
Mesham, through Griswold, declined to comment.
Shoemaker said any meetings with the prospective defendants are on hold until she consults with the insurance company attorney.
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