Contractor sues school over delays in project

CARTHAGE — A contractor who worked on the construction of Carthage Central School District's artificial-turf field and other projects claims in a lawsuit that delays in the work caused by other contractors cost him more than $300,000.

Cory Wisinski, individually and doing business as Cory Wisinski Excavating, Bernhards Bay, filed state Supreme Court action Monday at the Jefferson County Clerk's office against the district and its Board of Education.

According to the suit, Mr. Wisinski entered into a contract with the district in June 2007 to complete work at the middle and high school campus, including on a turf field and a planned concession stand. In spring 2008, his company began work relating to the turf field and site work around the concession building. The work was slated to be finished by about July 1, 2008, according to the complaint.

Mr. Wisinski claims that the project's construction manager, as the district's representative, was responsible for scheduling work and coordinating other contractors in accordance with a construction schedule and for preventing delays in the work.

The contractor maintains that the construction manager failed to properly coordinate other contractors on the job, preventing him from completing work on the turf field and other site work around the building in a timely manner.

He claims that the project was extended into the fall of 2008, causing him to keep manpower, supplies and equipment on scene during September, October and November 2008, or twice as long as was initially scheduled.

He alleges that, despite written notice to the district that delays were occurring, the construction manager failed to issue a "recovery schedule" to mitigate damages to his company. According to court documents, the value of the work and materials supplied by Mr. Wisinski to the project was $2,117,479, of which the district has paid $1,782,032, a difference of $335,447.

Mr. Wisinski is asking for damages in that amount, plus interest. He is represented in the action by Syracuse attorney Terry R. Pickard.