Published in the Asbury Park Press 7/05/01

FREEHOLD -- Monmouth County will pay a subcontractor nearly $68,000 -- money that the company was never paid through another vendor who defaulted -- for providing the equipment to replace the kitchen floor at the jail.

The county hired Michael T. Gavan Inc. of Lakewood last year to replace the floor. Gavan in turn subcontracted with Singer Equipment Co. of Reading, Pa., to deliver equipment in connection with job. But last August the county pulled Gavan off the job, saying it failed to properly install and waterproof the kitchen floor.

Singer in the meantime was never paid by Gavan and was owed $65,020 for equipment and $2,970 for labor.

Singer then turned to the county to pay the the contract. To avoid a court battle, the county recently agreed to the payment.

"Singer is an innocent third party who is entitled to be paid for the equipment and labor supplied by it," according to a resolution approving the payment.

Since August, Kelso Construction Co., Manalapan, has been working to replace the kitchen floor. As of April, Kelso's bill was $1.14 million. which does not include the $250,000 the county paid Kelso in a separate contract in November to remove the floor that was improperly installed by the first contractor.

Published on July 5, 2001