Crowley approves partial payment to contractor for Parks & Pavilion despite council concerns over progress

The Crowley Mayor and Board of Aldermen approved partial payment No. 8 for the Parks and Pavilion project to Prestige Construction Group during the July 8 meeting after the city engineer and the project's architect recommended the payment. Alderman Byron Willrich moved to approve the partial payment; Alderman Samuel Reggie seconded the motion and the council voted to carry it, with one recorded opposition. The payment was presented as $77,424.55 on the payment application submitted to the council. City Engineer Tim Mader and others explained the partial-payment process: the city previously approved the project and the architect reviews and certifies monthly payment applications. "If the architect says it's payable, then you must pay it," Mader told the council, citing a letter from the architect, Lewis Sabb Jr., that recommended the payment after review. Several aldermen sharply criticized the visible progress at the site. Alderman [first name not specified] said he had video showing little activity on sunny days and called the workmanship and cleanup "unacceptable." Alderman Vernon Martin and others said they drive by the site regularly and are not satisfied with the visible pace. "I to be honest, I drive by it every day…I'm not particularly pleased with the progress," Martin said. City and legal advisers cautioned against withholding the partial payment. One official told the council that failing to pay a certified partial payment could place the city in breach of contract and invite litigation; the council was also warned that pursuing liquidated-damages claims could trigger a broader legal dispute that would be costly to defend. Clerks and staff also pointed to project accounting embedded in the payment application: a continuation sheet itemized cast-in-place concrete, plumbing equipment, water and sanitary utilities and electrical utilities that together totaled $90,007.54, with retainage and line-item percentages affecting the net partial payment requested. The architect's written recommendation was cited as the primary basis for the certified payment request. Why it matters: The council is balancing contract compliance—paying certified applications to avoid breach—with public concern about slow, visible progress on a high-profile city facility. Council members said they want more accountability and clearer updates from the architect and contractor. Discussion vs. action: The council formally approved the partial payment (action). Substantive discussion included multiple members raising concerns about site activity, local bidders losing the contract, and whether liquidated-damages remedies or other legal options are appropriate (discussion). No motion to terminate or withhold payment passed; council did not direct staff to cancel the contract. Next steps: Officials said weekly site visits and architect reports are part of the existing oversight; aldermen requested clearer reporting on milestones and timelines. The construction completion date cited at the meeting was September 28; council members said they were skeptical that the contractor would meet that date.