Veterans home feud moves into court

Thursday, Aug. 9, 2001 | 10:56 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Public Works Board wants to kick the contractor off the job at the troubled state Veterans Home in Boulder City, but the controversy has moved to the courts.

In a meeting today, the board was to discuss hiring a new construction company to complete work at the home that is over cost and past the deadline for finishing the job.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Brett Kandt said he expected the board to select a new company to wrap up the $19.3 million project.

Kandt, who represents the Public Works Board, said the board gave Addison Construction Inc. notice within the last week to leave the site. Addison, in turn, asked the District Court in Las Vegas for a temporary restraining order to void the state's order.

A hearing is pending on Addison's motion.

The board and Addison met weekly earlier this summer to work toward completing the project. A deadline of June 30 was set for Addison to finish most of its work.

On June 29 Addison filed suit in Clark County, asking for an order to compel the state to pay what is owed. Kandt said the state withheld $1.1 million because work was not complete.

The suit was not served on state officials until a month later.

The project was supposed to be completed Jan. 4. Since that date, Kandt said fines are piling up at $2,885 a day for each day the project is not complete.

The home has a temporary certificate of occupancy, but that only covers the administrative offices. The state Veterans Affairs office hopes to move in patients in phases as the work is completed on each section of the home. Kandt said that since Jan. 4, 37 veterans who were on the waiting list to be admitted to the home have died.

Kandt said the state would answer the suit filed by Addison and pursue the claims it has against the contractor.