Otto Baum, the general trades contractor on the Champaign County Nursing Home Project, is suing the project manager PKD as well as the Environmental engineers hired by the County and the supplier of the wood. The case is 08-L-70.
This is not unexpected. As I said a year ago, the amount that PKD settled with the County for was a pittance. At the time I also predicted that Otto Baum would put all the blame for this problem on PKD.
But the lawsuit once again begs the two most basic questions. Why didn't construction on the project stop upon the discovery of the mold and why was any moldy wood allowed to be put up. In the lawsuit, Otto Baum clearly blames PKD. You can bet that within the negotiations with the County over a settlement, they are blaming the County. And while much was made a year ago about how PKD would be helping us in our negotiations with Otto Baum, you can bet if this thing ever gets to court, they'll be pointing their finger straight at the County as well.
County departments were recently asked to reduce their current bare bones spending with the potential of next year's budgets to be reduced significantly.
At the same time the county is going to pay 1.5 million to dress up the courthouse, including some work of which should have been done during the construction of the addition. Now the nursing home mess, lawsuits and fines galore, operating expenses going up etc. The worst is yet to come.
Bottom line: Don't spend money when you don't have any to spend. Use the money when you have it.