Contractor quarrels, alleged death threats jeopardise demolition timeline for schools
The tight timeline Joplin school officials have laid out to rebuild the high school following the May 22 tornado could be jeopardized by contractors clashing over pay and salvage rights to the millions of dollars worth of metal and other material in tornado-damaged schools. Some contractors are threatening lawsuits. Some are being accused of threatening each other.
Joplin police were called in earlier this month following an alleged death threat that prompted the general contractor to consider pulling out of the project altogether. At one point Urban Metropolitan Development, which is responsible for the demolition of three Joplin schools, claims it pulled its workers off the job site at Irving Elementary, citing fears about “gun spray crossfire” from a disgruntled subcontractor.
Mike Johnson, the Joplin school official overseeing demolition, acknowledged that “accusations are flying” between contractors.
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