They think it’s all over….it’s not yet!
Somewhere in the US, Eric Kelly is probably chuckiing away to himself right now having dodged a bullet over the Bellaire Bridge contract.
For quite some time, Kelly and the AED legal team fought with Delta Demolition over ownership of the bridge and the associated contract to demolish the rusting hulk. But more than a year after a judge found in favour of Delta Demolition, relinquishing Kelly of any responsibility for the bridge’s detonation, the structure is still standing, the legal machinations are still rolling on, and the legal costs continue to escalate.
And now, just a day or two after city officials set in place an admittedly one-sided contractual stipulation requiring Delta to put half a million dollars in escrow in case it failed to complete the demolition works, it appears that the contract has once again hit the legal buffers.
According to local newspaper reports, the attorney for the bridge’s owners said his clients are “uncomfortable” with an agreement passed by Benwood City Council last week that gives the city total control over a $500,000 escrow account that would ensure completion of the bridge’s demolition.
Lawyer Jeremy Domozick of Virginia Beach, Va., represents KDC Investments and Delta Demolition, companies operated by bridge owners Krystle and Lee Chaklos. Domozick said the agreement previously discussed by him and Benwood officials would have placed both the names of his clients and the city of Benwood on the escrow account. Upon successful completion of the demolition, Delta Demolition would have received the $500,000 back with interest.
“The biggest change is now they want to hold this money in their own account,” he said. “This makes my client uncomfortable, as you can imagine.”
He said he speaks regularly by phone with Benwood City Attorney Eric Gordon about the Bellaire Bridge, and he expects a deal still can be reached that will allow demolition of the bridge to proceed.
“The agreement they passed is not identical to one we agreed to previously,” Domozick said. “Our approach will be about revising the agreement, and I am still confident an agreement can be reached. After this, we will fund an account pursuant to the agreement.”
He expects a deal could be reached in the “next couple of weeks,” and Domozick added he and the Chakloses may attend the next Benwood City Council meeting on 28 August.
The wait goes on.
Read more here.
