Insider reported in July that after being approached by Lamar about entering into a new contract for a billboard location, Johnson City, TN city officials realized the structure was on city property and asked that it be removed by Sept. 1.

The Johnson City Press reports that on Thursday of last week, Johnson City Commissioners authorized staff to file an unlawful detainer warrant for a billboard at the intersection of University Parkway and West State of Franklin Road, seeking a court order of eviction. Commissioners passed the item on their consent agenda.

The City Manager indicated that the City had made multiple requests for Lamar to vacate the city property, and to date they have not. The City Commission authorized City Staff to make a pleading to the court to make a determination as to should they vacate our property and if so when.

The Lamar General Manager was at the City Commission meeting and indicated that the company sent a few proposals to the city on Aug. 22, which included leaving the billboard as is, converting to a digital billboard or purchasing the easement.

The City Manager said the easement is not for sale and that the the issues would be best left to legal counsel.

Insider’s Take:  We had mentioned in our original post, this was an interesting case to follow.  Lamar originally entered into a lease with East Tennessee State University in 1972 to operate the billboard paying the university $50 a year.  In 1978, the city acquired the land from the state of Tennessee and has continuously owned the property since that time but apparently did not assume or enter into a new lease agreement with Lamar.  Lamar continued to make lease payments to the University.

We had a number of comments from readers including a post the next day from Richard Hamlin, partner in the Hamlin Cody Law Firm.  We will continue monitoring and providing updates as they are available.

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