CORPUS CHRISTI — The original contractor for Hazel Bazemore Park struck a settlement with Nueces County Wednesday.
Previously ABM Industries received nearly $200,000 of Nueces County taxpayers money.
Today Nueces County Commissioners approved a settlement of $172,000.
It's been nearly two years since the project was approved and the project is not complete.
A trip to the park reveals uneven and cracked the foundation as well as weeds growing despite the installation of a weed blocker.
The work was originally awarded to ABM who subcontracted the design concept to Wheaton Engineering.
But in March 2021, another engineering firm was awarded the project design creating a different plan for the proposed dog park.
“They’ve been drawing out money,” Robert Hernandez, Nueces County precinct 1 commissioner said. “Sending us bills that they want $175,000 for this but they haven’t done any work at all.”
ABM officials told KRIS 6, before moving forward, they need to be paid for the work they’ve done and equipment.
“We should be very careful about how we spend that money, where we put that money,” Hernandez said. “We have a lot of issues out in the county roads and with drainage and we could use that money.”
Hernandez said some on the court want to pay AMB to walk away but he just doesn’t want to waste more tax payer money.
The total cost of the project is $418,000 and plans include making it four times bigger than the original plan, it will be handicap accessible and feature fountains, picnic tables, benches, and a pond for pups to cool off.
ABM officials said they have a new project manager and two on site attendants and they are just waiting for that payment.
Once new designs are done, the county will go out for a new bid for a construction company.
