NATCHEZ, Miss. — The Board of Aldermen voted today to sue the street contractor that city officials blame for doing a shoddy job repaving Canal and Homochitto streets.
The decision was made after months of “back and forth with the contractor” quibbling over what corrective measures must be taken without the city having to pay for the work, said Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson.
“Because of this legal impasse, we have no choice but to commence litigation against Theobald Construction,” Gibson said while meeting with the Board of Aldermen.
The Vicksburg-based contractor late last year put inferior asphalt on the much-traveled Canal and Homochitto streets but refuses to pay for redoing the pavement work, according to allegations recited by the mayor.
Asphalt laid a few months ago that’s already crumbling is among various deficiencies. “It’s quite a laundry list,” Gibson said of the resurfacing flaws.
“Everything that was done incorrectly has to be redone. … We will not rest until it’s done correctly and done right,” he said.
The $1 million street paving project began in November but was halted in December when it was discovered that inferior asphalt was being applied.
“The contractor has refused to correct the unacceptable work. For these reasons and others, the mayor and board are instructing our legal team to begin the process of enforcing the City’s rights against the contractor,” Gibson said in a statement he issued after today’s meeting.
The mayor in April said an agreement had been made with Theobald Construction Services on what corrective measures to do and be finished by early May. However, the contractor insists the city must pay for the work that includes removing the inferior asphalt and spreading out new pavement.
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