Griffith Town Hall
GRIFFITH — The Town Council on Tuesday delayed a hearing with a Griffith Public Schools contractor on allegations that the contractor had failed to obtain town-required job permits for work at public schools.
Performance Services has also been alleged by town officials to be using unlicensed subcontractors on some of those jobs.
If the situation is not rectified, the company could lose its license to operate in Griffith, and it already faces fines for the infractions.
“Performance Services previously did welding work at Ready (Elementary School) and did not pull permits, and used unlicensed contractors,” said Town Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3rd.
School Superintendent Leah Dumezich said that the district uses all licensed contractors and has completed all applications and permits.
“The building commissioner sat on them for weeks,” she said. “Nothing new for us — this is how the school system is treated by the town. The building commissioner has not even been on site.”
However, Alfredo Estrada, attorney for the Griffith Building Department, said Performance Services originally stated that the permits were not required.
“Now Performance Services agrees that permits are required and should have been pulled,” he said.
Ryfa said the latest issue involves mostly completed work in the high school auditorium.
“The work is pretty much done without inspections,” Estrada said. “On behalf of Steve McDermott, the building commissioner, this is very serious.”
A stop-work order was issued by McDermott, and Estrada noted that fines have been assessed for not obtaining the required permits prior to starting the work.
Board members stressed that the town cannot be aware of jobs to inspect unless the permits are applied for.
“This is the second time since 2019 Performance Services has performed work in the town of Griffith without pulling permits on a Griffith school corporation project,” Estrada said.
McDermott and the firm have been talking and hopefully a compromise will be reached, said Councilman Tony Hobson, R-5th.
“I am agreeing to a continuance on today’s hearing” at the request of Performance Services, in hopes of reaching an agreement, Estrada said.
He added that any compromise would probably include Performance Services doing the paperwork, obtaining the permits, paying fees and fines and renewing their 2023 business license in Griffith.
“Using unlicensed contractors results in the contractors not being bonded with the town, and our taxpayers could be vulnerable financially,” Ryfa said.
Ryfa noted that the town gives a 75% discount on permit fees for jobs related to the school town.
Dumezich said she hopes that the municipal government and school town can get together in the best interests of the taxpayers and Griffith.
“That has always been my goal,” she said.
Performance Services Business Development Manager Tony Kuykendall said his firm wants to make an agreeable settlement.
“We’re going to work very hard and closely with the council to get there,” he said.
If an agreement is reached, there will be no hearing, Estrada said.
The school district and Performance Services had a previous conflict with town officials in November when school officials charged that the town was trying to stall an expansion project at Wadsworth Elementary School.
The project became waterlogged with plans submitted by Performance Services for a stormwater retention pond.
The pond is supposed to drain downward via gravity, said Council Vice President Larry Ballah, R-2nd. However, the plan had the stormwater draining upward — two feet higher than the pond, he said.
“We’re happy to grant approval, but we’ve got to have some plans that work,” said Ballah, who also serves as chairman of the Plan Commission.
“I do take exception over the accusations,” Ryfa said. “Their engineers did not do their job. Water does not go uphill.”
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