Thomas Breen file photo
Cracking concrete outside of the boathouse.
Alders signed off on paying outside attorneys $159,000 in total as legal bills keep mounting for an ongoing court battle centered on cracking concrete outside of the Canal Dock Boathouse.
Local legislators took that vote Monday night during the latest regular monthly meeting of the full Board of Alders, which was held in person in the Aldermanic Chamber on the second floor of City Hall.
Alders voted unanimously in support of an order amending a legal services agreement between the city and the local law firm Neubert, Pepe & Monteith, P.C.
That newly amended agreement increases the maximum compensation paid by the city to the outside attorneys from $99,000 to $159,000 for work they have done — and continue to do — prosecuting a lawsuit filed last year by the city against the general contractor who oversaw the construction of the publicly owned Canal Dock Boathouse at 475 Long Wharf Dr.
That city-initiated state court case called, City of New Haven v. Nosal Builders, Inc., is still working its way through state court in Hartford. It includes accusations by the Elicker Administration that the boathouse’s general contractor did a shoddy job of mixing and pouring the concrete topping slab that covers the boathouse’s deck, pier, and promenade.
The Cheshire-based contractor, Nosal Builders, has generally denied liability and wrongdoing on this matter, and has looped into the case the boathouse subcontractors Universal Foundations Inc. and L. Suzio Concrete Co.
During a a June public hearing before the Finance Committee about the city’s proposed outside-legal-fee bump for this matter, top city attorney Patricia King predicted that court-ordered mediation in the case should take place this upcoming fall.
Thomas Breen photo
Westville Alder and Finance Committee Chair Marchand.
On Monday night, Westville Alder and Finance Committee Chair Adam Marchand pitched his colleagues on the amended legal services agreement by describing some of the key allegations made by the city in the ongoing lawsuit.
“The work was defective,” he said about the general contractor’s concrete work at the boathouse. “Cracks are already appearing,” even though the boathouse opened up just four years ago.
“The city is taking the responsible course” in trying to hold the contractor accountable in court, he said.
With that, all of the alders present voted in support of the amended legal services agreement.
In unrelated boathouse news, City Plan Director Laura Brown noted in her department’s new email newsletter that the publicly owned waterfront recreational and meeting space is now “open for business.”
“New Canal Dock Boathouse Events Manager Erika Flowers announced the opening of the facility for community rentals and events this week!” Brown wrote in her July 22 email. “Reservation tours start on August 1, and event reservations begin on September 6. Email [email protected] to find out more or to schedule a tour of the facility. City Plan staff have supported the development of the boathouse and we’re excited to see residents take advantage of this amazing spot on our waterfront.”
So, even though the work was defective and these are all licensed tradespeople, an aggrieved party (City of NH) has to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to have the job done right?!?!?! What is wrong with this picture. Where is the Dept of COnsumer Protection? Where is the STate to prohibit these entities from doing business in the state of CT till they fix what they did? Suzio is BIG. Why does the City not go to the State for some muscle on this? What about Yale , since it's all for them anyway??? They have plenty of money.