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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Moscow mobile home park owner, residents settle over water issue

Chelsea Embree Lewiston Tribune

MOSCOW, Idaho – The owner of Syringa Mobile Home Park has been ordered to keep the park open for at least the next year and must pay residents up to $2,000 in damages.

Magar E. Magar and residents of the Moscow park settled on those terms last month, according to documents filed last week in Latah County 2nd District Court.

About 140 park residents filed a class-action lawsuit in February 2014 after going more than 90 days without potable drinking water. Magar, of Vancouver, Washington, is set to appear in court March 31 for a hearing to determine damages due to some of the residents in the case.

The mediation agreement filed Wednesday outlines monetary damages that will be awarded to several of the residents in the case. Mediation took place Feb. 4, with Senior Judge Carl B. Kerrick acting as mediator.

Magar has been ordered to pay $2,000 per mobile home unit to all current park residents. Of that, $1,000 will be paid in the form of rent credit that will be disbursed at the rate of $250 per month starting March 1. Residents will also receive a $1,000 judgment against Magar.

Former residents who lived at the park between Dec. 18, 2013, and March 20, 2014, will receive a judgment in the amount of $2,000 per mobile home unit, according to the agreement.

Residents still have to submit evidence of out-of-pocket costs they sustained because of Magar’s inadequate operation and maintenance of the park’s fresh water and wastewater systems. Upon receipt of that evidence, Magar will be ordered to reimburse the residents.

Any residents who have had issues selling or renting their homes because of the park’s water issues must bring their claims before Latah County 2nd District Judge John R. Stegner.

This agreement comes soon after Magar was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $100,000 for violating the Clean Water Act. The fine is due to the U.S. Treasury today.