CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Corpus Christi International Seamen’s Center is considered a home away from home for Merchant Marines.
Crew members of international ships that bring in or take out product from the Port of Corpus Christi.
It’s been around more than 40 years.
Sharon Emerson is the executive director.
In June, Emerson gave a contractor named Thomas Hamilton $2,000 as a down payment to redo the floor behind the bar.
She told the Troubleshooters Hamilton’s bid was more affordable than other bids.
Plus, “he said he could get it done Saturday.”
As executive director, Emerson says she has to get three bids for any project at the Center, then apply for a grant for the money.
She claims she explained this to Hamilton, and says he responded this way.
“If you give me $2,000 now, I’ll wait for the rest of the money," she said he said.
Emerson is accountable to the Center’s Board, and since she didn’t get three bids for this flooring job, she then asked Hamilton to return the money.
“We subsist on not a lot here," she said. "And, $2,000 is a lot to us.”
Hamilton has not returned any money, even though he said he would in this email exchange with Emerson.
And that’s why Emerson says she called us.
Hamilton contacted the Troubleshooters this morning, saying he doesn’t feel he’s done anything wrong.
That if Sharon Emerson gave him the flooring job and a $2,000 down payment, knowing she has to get three bids and write a grant, that’s on her.
He does want to meet with the Seamen’s Board to discuss resolution, but he says he wants something for his time and materials he says he bought.
We’ll let you know what happens next.
