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Dredging
firm sues Lake in the Hills for $1.36 million
Chicago Tribune -
8/27
The company that
finished the dredging of Goose Lake this summer has sued Lake in
the Hills, alleging that the village owes it more than $1.36
million.
Peter Stefan,
village finance director, said C&C Dredging Services of Lake
Zurich has been paid $1.2 million for the Goose Lake project and
the village considers the bill paid in full. Village trustees
learned of the lawsuit late last week. But company owner Tim
Cantwell said he is due another $1.36 million, as well as back
interest on that money and court-related costs. The last time the
village paid him was last November, he said.
"We were
forced to complete the job under threat of default," Cantwell
said. "We were forced to use our own funds to complete the
job and now we are forced to go to the village to collect. The
only recourse we have is to resolve this in the court."
Randolph E. Ruff,
a Chicago lawyer representing the dredging company, said his
client started digging without an accurate estimate of the amount
of silt in the lake. The lawsuit contends that the company removed
183,206 cubic yards of silt, but the village paid for only 97,548
cubic yards.
Village Atty.
Richard Flood said the amount of silt was inflated by shoreline
material, which was not permitted under the contract.
"We think
this lawsuit is a Hail Mary pass, hoping that somebody will go for
it," Flood said. "They're trying to scare us with big
numbers, hoping we'll settle. We feel there's no merit to
C&C's position."
The dredging of
Goose Lake has been a problem from the start. A company hired in
December 1998 refused to start work, and the original engineering
firm underestimated the amount of silt in the lake.
C&C Dredging
Services stopped work earlier this year over a contract dispute.
When the village threatened to claim the bond Cantwell had posted
for the project, the company resumed work.
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