NATCHEZ, Miss. – City officials are in a “legal impasse” with contractors over shoddy work done repaving two of Natchez’ busiest thoroughfares and will seek estimates for the costs of getting the street project done right.
Canal and Homochitto streets were resurfaced late last year, but faulty asphalt was applied on some sections. Other parts remain unpaved. While the disputes continue with the street contractors to remedy this, the mayor and Board of Aldermen decided Tuesday to get proposals from other contractors on the costs for fulfilling the project.
“Please know that we are working very hard to address the issues but to also make sure that the project is completed timely and correctly,” said Mayor Dan Gibson.“We thank the public for your patience.”
The repaving began on Canal in November and thereafter on Homochitto. However, defective asphalt was laid on some sections lacking an ingredient to ensure it adheres to the surface, Gibson said. Work was halted in December, leaving unpaved sections of Homochitto by Duncan Avenue and where it intersects with Martin Luther King Street. Gibson said flaws are also evident on sections of Homochitto as it runs past the Dunleith estate and the old Margaret Martin School to MLK. Sections of Canal Street need to be leveled where manhole covers are located.
City officials and the Vicksburg-based contractors have haggled for weeks over how to fix the problem-plagued project but to no avail.
“The City of Natchez is currently at a legal impasse with the contractor, Theobald Construction, and its subcontractor, Central Asphalt, with regard to the quality of work, delayed performance and other issues related to the purported agreement and potential breach thereof,” Gibson said Tuesday.
Gibson and aldermen did talk about “potential litigation,” but they closed the public out of those discussions. The mayor said last month that city officials are withholding payments to the companies for a project that has a contracted cost of $1.1 million.
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