Contractor loses bid over charges

Adrienne Packer

Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2001 | 11:08 a.m.

A contractor who bid lowest on a Clark County parks project was disqualified Tuesday after being accused of paying its workers -- most of whom were Hispanic -- as little as $2.50 an hour.

Commissioners, shocked by testimony from several former employees who spoke through an interpreter, quickly dismissed City Plan Development Inc. and instead hired Hardy Construction.

The bid is for restrooms that meet disability requirements at Overton Community Park and Logandale Fairgrounds. City Plan's bid was $439,133; the Hardy's bid $472,487.

City Plan's past treatment of laborers prompted union representatives and even the state's chief compliance investigator to attend Tuesday's meeting to discourage the commission from granting City Plan the contract.

Chief compliance investigator Gail Maxwell said City Plan gives her office more problems than any other company. She said that in 1997 it was suspended from public works projects for a year because of labor violations.

Last year, she said, it was found guilty of more violations and its case is being processed through the courts, which is expected to take years. Maxwell told commissioners they are responsible for hiring respectable companies.

"We support your involvement in assisting us and putting out fires up front," Maxwell said.

Jim Roletti, director of field operations for the Carpenters-Contractors Cooperation Committee Inc. based in Los Angeles, reaffirmed City Plan's reputation.

"It has a history of cheating workers," he said. "They have done it three times before and will continue to in the future I believe."