The Isonville Volunteer Fire Department is facing a lawsuit by an Elliott County man over a lack of payments in a $1 per year deal with the previous property owner.
Roger Howard, who lives near the fire department, recently bought the property that includes the fire department’s garage.
The garage has been on the property since 1995, and the fire department later entered into an agreement with Willis Lyon.
Lyon owned the property and agreed to lease a portion of it for the department’s garage. The department was required to rent the space for the minimum amount per state law, $1 a year.
Lyon also served on the fire department board before he died in 2001.
Lyon’s sister took ownership of the property and later sold it to Howard, according to a source with the fire department who asked to remain anonymous.
Before, the annual payment was usually made through a hand-to-hand transaction, according to the source.
“You can’t really write a check for a dollar,” he said. “He (Lyon) said, ‘Look, it costs me more to run to the bank than what’s it worth.’”
Howard is suing the fire department for not paying the fee dating to 2000, according to the source, who said he believes Howard is attempting to obtain the building for personal use.