City's Contract Battle with Scartelli Construction Heats Up

In a recent government meeting, significant discussions centered around the ongoing issues between the City of Scranton and Scartelli Construction regarding a stalled project. It was revealed that Scartelli Construction holds a valid contract for the project, yet work has not commenced due to delays in the general contracting phase, which could only begin after the completion of HVAC and electrical work.

Concerns were raised about the lack of communication from the city regarding the project's status and potential cost implications stemming from the delays, including increases in material and labor costs. Questions were also posed about a lawsuit filed by the city against Scartelli Construction, which sought to cancel the contract. However, the court denied this request, allowing the contract to remain in effect despite the city's attempts to terminate it based on a change order submitted by Scartelli for $1,500. This change order was necessary due to the unavailability of specified materials and equipment.

The city solicitor's office has expressed concerns about the potential misuse of the change order process by Scartelli, despite the fact that such changes are a common practice in the construction industry. The meeting concluded with a call for better communication and resolution strategies to address the ongoing delays and associated costs.