One Franklin County family is not happy a city lake near them is for sale.
SESSER, Ill. (WSIL) --- One Franklin County family is not happy a city lake near them is for sale. The City of Sesser recently announced they would be putting the Sesser Lake and the land around it up for sale.
One family says the city is breaking a decades-old promise to never kick them off the land.
Nancy Robinson is trying to stop the city from taking land that they had control over for 70 years.
鈥淲ell, it's a lifetime lease for the Robinson heirs. In other words, it says as long as we own the land, we own the lease,鈥� Robinson said.
Sesser Mayor, Jason Ashmore said in a phone interview, 鈥淲e are trying to do what's best for the taxpayers,鈥� Ashmore says. 鈥淲e believe that the lake is a liability. it's also going to be very, very expensive. Something I don't believe is that the taxpayers want to foot the bill on this.鈥�
It's a land dispute that has the Robinsons and the city of Sesser facing off.
鈥淚'm just hoping to hold on to what I got, I don't even want to sell anything,鈥� Robinson said.
Ashmore said in a press release the city has struggled with what to do with the deteriorating facility for more than a decade.
"This time we are just working with all of the different stakeholders. And we are just moving forward, and we are taking our time. We are trying to make sure that we do everything correctly and legally,鈥� Ashmore said.
Robinson says her family has lived on the land for over 150 years. What she calls a lease was signed by her husband's grandparents.
鈥淢y son lives here now, and his son is over here at times,鈥� Robinson said.
She feels like they are trying to pull a fast one on them.
鈥淚 think maybe because we are widows he thought they could take advantage of us,鈥� Robinson said.
Sesser city officials plan to table the issue for now.
