An error by the Lehigh County Tax Assessment Office involving a major Lehigh Valley Mall retail store has been corrected.

A Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas finding, which Whitehall Township is not disputing, held the retailer's property was assessed incorrectly, resulting in an overpaying of real estate taxes.

Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr., in a report to the board of commissioners at its Sept. 8 meeting, said the issue involved Boscov's Department Store, one of the anchor stores at the mall.

"Lehigh County Court resolved the real estate tax appeal of Boscov's Department Store," Hozza said. "The property was assessed at $14 million, when the purchase price by Simon was $6.8 million. Clearly, the assessment office erred in this regard."

The revised assessment is $7 million.

"The township will need to refund 2014 taxes paid in the amount of about $21,000," Hozza said.

On the revenue side, American Tower, the cell tower company occupying land at the Whitehall Golf Center site on Range Road, now utilized by youth soccer teams, expressed an interest in extending the present lease agreement it has with the township.

Hozza said documents have been forwarded to the township solicitor's office for review. Terms of the new lease and the company's payment to the township have not been released, pending approval by the township.

Regarding litigation, Hozza said the township's involvement in an earlier accident at Sixth and Hillside Avenue continues.

The attorney for the township's insurance carrier has filed answers to the request for information and submitted documents to the plaintiff.