Six months after North Charleston City Council agreed to let the Noisette Co. pay off its $8.5 million debt to the city for the former Charleston Naval Base property, the city has not received a check.

Both sides say Noisette has the money, but the two sides are trying to come to an agreement on how much each owes for different services.

"We are saying what they owe us, and they are saying what we owe them," Mayor Keith Summey said.

The city says Noisette owes it the $8.5 million plus interest; Noisette says the city owes it money for the $6 million Riverfront Park, which was rushed to completion with defects in time for the 2005 July Fourth celebration. The defects were corrected at Noisette's expense, and the company still must build a riverfront boardwalk.

Some of the park's expenses are mixed in with a proposed Navy base memorial, a project Noisette was tapped to work on then removed from after its financial stability was called into question in 2005.

Noisette CEO John Knott declined to provide specifics of the deal being worked out, except to say, "The Noisette Company feels it should not be discussed until the mayor and City Council and others have reached a conclusion."

Summey said key city officials, including Assistant to the Mayor Ray Anderson, Finance Director Warren Newton and City Attorney Derk Van Raalte, are working on a resolution.

"We are always open to discussion," Van Raalte said, adding that no meeting is scheduled.

"I would think if they can get together with Noisette officials, it can be done fairly quickly," Summey said.

Knott agreed.

Summey and Knott said Noisette does not have to pay off the $8.5 million immediately, despite an agreement reached in December at a special City Council meeting that called for the company to repay taxpayers by Jan. 1. "Their contract says they don't have to," Summey said.

Knott said Noisette has 10 years to pay, but the development company wants to pay off the mortgage early.

The city loaned Noisette the money to begin redeveloping 345 acres on the northern end of the former Navy base after the Legislature split the former military installation, giving half to the city and half to the State Ports Authority.

The relationship between the city and Noisette soured in 2005 after City Council members began questioning progress on the project, which began in 2001.

Reach Warren Wise at 745-5850 or wwise@postandcourier.com.