Solberg Airport Prevails in Landmark Eminent Domain Case

Judge Armstrong’s Opinion speaks eloquently to what the Solbergs have been put through. If the Court had found it necessary, it could have gone on for many, many more pages in describing the unfortunate conduct of Readington’s officials.

The question that should be asked at this point is not what happened, but why it happened. Why were the Solbergs, who are lifelong residents of Readington and whose families intend to remain in Readington, subjected to the kind of treatment that here occurred for at least two decades and probably more? Why were the Solbergs, and all of the other taxpayers of Readington, put to the enormous expense that has saturated this matter for all of these years? The result of Judge Armstrong’s Decision is that Readington, in addition to the millions it has paid out to its own counsel, experts, and consultants over the years, will now be held responsible for such amounts as the Court determines to be due to the Solbergs under the law as a result of the Decision, which amounts will also likely be in the millions.

None of this was necessary. It was the result of the myopic view that Solberg Airport was going to become another La Guardia being drummed into the collective psyche of too many misled citizens.

The Solbergs not only have lived in Readington for all their lives, but they continue to aspire to be good Township citizens, and they love the Township as much as anyone. It is their hope, dashed so often in the past, that Readington will see the light and reach the type of reasonable accommodation with the Solbergs that are in furtherance of everyone’s interest.