BY JANE PRENDERGAST
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON -- Kenton County paid out $850,000 Monday to settle the first legal step in the controversy over the construction of a $35.6 million courthouse and parking garage.
The money was paid in two amounts: $500,000 to Wessels Construction and Development Co. of Fort Wright; and $350,000 to Carroll Properties of Florence.
"They're being picked up as we speak," said County Attorney Garry Edmondson on Monday afternoon.
The two companies' bids for the project lost out to Corporex Cos., and they sued the county after learning the county violated its own procurement code.
While the losing bidders could get their money Monday, Corporex still wants to know how the county arrived at the $850,000 figure. The development company wants to know because the county is now seeking the same amount from it.
Corporex attorneys want to know how the money was divided because they say they can prove the county never had any intention of awarding the project to Wessels or Carroll. And if that is so, they say, there's no reason to pay either of the losing bidders for things like lost profits and attorney fees.
Mr. Edmondson said the division of the $850,000 is irrelevant. When the figure was negotiated, he said, the settlement talks started at one amount and were reduced from there to the $850,000. The money for the checks comes out of what officials call the county's rainy-day fund, meaning taxpayers are footing the bill -- for now.
Officials hope that amount will be reimbursed with Corporex dollars when the current part of the lawsuit is finished.
