Window Fashion plant at impasse
By John Peters
Editor
Negotiations between Halifax County and Window Fashions Inc. on contracts for refurbishing the former Littleton Apparel Building plant in Littleton seem to be at an impasse.
County Manager Matthew Delk said he plans to discuss the situation with the board of commissioners on Monday, during a closed session, because he’s not sure what the county’s next step will be.
"The county submitted construction documents to the owner for approval, and the owner has not approved them as of today," Delk said Tuesday. "At this point, the county has done above and beyond everything we ever committed to do. The decision as to whether or not he is going to keep his commitments is with the owner."
At least one Littleton official and officials with Window Fashions have a different take on the situation.
Town Commissioner Betty Willis said she believes the bulk of the problem lies with the fact that, in her estimation, the county has presented proposed changes to the building that are not needed and that are too expensive.
She also said the county hasn’t yet provided a line-by-line explanation of the expenses, as Window Fashions officials have asked.
Her assertions seem to be backed up by county documents and correspondence between the county and Window Fashion owners.
The project started in 2005, when the county and Window Fashions entered into an agreement for the firm to place a window shutter plant in Littleton. The county would, according to the agreement, purchase the building and secure state, local, and federal grant money for needed renovations up to $776,150, any cost beyond that would be covered by Window Fashions. Once work was completed, the county would hand the building over to the firm.
In exchange, the firm agreed to create at least 100 fulltime jobs, paying an average of $11 an hour, within three years of when the building was deemed ready to use. In addition, the company had to maintain possession of the building or at least give Halifax County the right of first refusal should the firm receive a "bona fide" purchase offer within five years of receiving title to the building.
The county hired an architect to draw up proposed renovations and improvements to the building, and the cost to implement that plan came to more than $1.3 million, according to county documents.
Don and Cindy Yauger, owners of Window Fashions, thought the cost to be excessive, and they believed the plans included much that was not necessary to meet state code and run a window shutter plant, Willis said. Among those items deemed unnecessary, Willis said, were 12 offices in the complex, when only four or five were needed.
The bulk of the $1.3 million was $1,187,000 in proposed work by Heaton Construction Inc. of Roanoke Rapids.
After the Yaugers reviewed the proposal and met with county officials, and sent a July 4 e-mail asking for clarification on some of the expenses, Heaton submitted a revised estimate which lowered that firm’s costs to $786,000.
Still, the Yaugers have asked for an itemization of some of those costs, most notably a line item of $264,000 accompanied solely by the notation "All other General Scope of work to remain as is."
Cindy Yauger, who is listed as the vice president of Window Fashions, noted in a letter dated July 17 that she had been waiting for an answer regarding the $264,000 since July 4. In that July 17 letter, she asked the county to start the bidding process over.
"Don and I would like the project to be re-bid," she said in the letter. "The architect took a simple renovation project and made it far too complicated. At least 10 bids were expected, but because of the complexity of the project, many contractors simply chose not to bid. Our request to him was simple; keep it at or under budget." She said they were told that would be no problem.
Delk, however, said he is not sure what course of action the county will take.
"We’ve spent more time and effort on this project than any other project we’ve worked with, we badly wanted this for Littleton," he said. "I can say Halifax County, based on our signed agreement with Window Fashion Resources … we have gone above and beyond everything we are required to do."
He added the county has incurred more than $200,000 in expenses in buying the building and having an architect prepare plans.
"We have proposed construction contracts in hand," he said. "We’re ready to go."
Click here for the Littleton Observer home page for the Littleton Lake Gaston area.
Aug 1, 2007
© copyright © 2007 - littletonobserver.com