9/28/18 – 5:13 A.M.

The judge overseeing the Road 5 widening case in Putnam County urged both sides to return to the negotiating table Thursday. The Lima News reports Judge Dale Crawford told the county and property owners along the road that the case needs a resolution. There has been litigation in the dispute for six years. He added that the county doesn’t need to pay thousands of dollars in more legal fees.

The two sides did negotiate Thursday, but not much changed. The commissioners made settlement offers to each property owner in the lawsuit. Those offers stand until 5 p.m. today. A trial is still scheduled for October 9.

The judge held the pretrial hearing because a lawyer for the property owners requested a continuance in the case. Linde Webb said the request was in response to the commissioners ordering a $64,000 appraisal of the 13 properties in dispute. Webb said they needed time to do an appraisal of their own.

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