GERMAN FLATTS, N.Y. -- It's a battle that's gone on for years.
Now that the Supreme Court has made their ruling, the German Flatts town supervisor says he can finally talk publicly about the situation surrounding the Creekside Mobile Home Park.
"People from the trailer park have been just, they've been in the news, they've been all over and saying whatever they want to say and we haven't been able to say anything," said German Flatts Town Supervisor Frank Spatto.
Town officials say the park is in a flood plain, and claims the park is in violation of several laws and ordinances through work they've done.
However, owners say just one mobile home is in the plain, and they thought they had been given the OK for wall work near Fulmer Creek by the DEC.
"We asked if we could raise the wall to the height of our lawn area, and we were told, and this is word of mouth, but we were told, 'You can do anything you want to do as long as you don't go in the water'," said Creekside Mobile Home Park Owner Bill Jaquish.
Since then, the town has taken the Jaquish's to court for this matter and for other work they claim was done over the years.
The town supervisor said it comes down to safety.
"When a disaster like that hits, our, the town's first response is the safety and welfare of our people here," Spatto said. "So you know, we were trying to make sure everybody was safe."
However, Jaquish said everything is safe.
"It actually meets the latest guidelines, the park does," Jaquish said. "As far as base elevations, as far as all the anchoring, filled concrete piers and stuff, all the waterproofing of all the utilities."
The town of German Flatts has spent more than $200,000 on the case. A cost that both sides say could have been avoided.
"This is your livelihood. Are you not going to fight for it? Are you not going to fight for your residents that were here?" asked Jaquish. "These people were assets to the community. These people did not want to leave. These people were being forced out."
"Yes, we have spent money, and do you think this Town Board wants to spend this kind of money? We absolutely do not want to spend that kind of money," Spatto said. "They are the ones that broke the law. We have to, by law, enforce that law."
As for the next step, park owners are taking their case to Appellate Court in January.
The son of the park owners, Peter Rovazzi, is running against Spatto in this week's election.