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Subcontractors urge city intervention after contractors say primary firm received payments but left work unpaid
Summary
Multiple subcontractors told the Internal Operations committee that a large city vendor, identified in testimony as 'Guyana' and its owner Brian McKinney, was paid on city contracts but failed to pay subcontractors, leaving unsafe open work and millions owed; council said administration will investigate and follow up.
Several Detroit subcontractors told the Internal Operations standing committee that a primary contractor awarded a large city job has not paid them, leaving open excavations and unpaid invoices.
"He owes me $274,000 out of 325," said Michael Viegas, owner of G and M Contracting, during in-person public comment. Viegas said many properties are left with deep openings and missing sidewalks, posing hazards to children and residents.
Marie, who identified herself as working with G and M Contracting Services, told the committee she has seen evidence that the main contractor, identified in testimony as Brian McKinney of Guyana, has received substantial payments while subcontractors remain unpaid. "He has been paid either hundreds of thousands of dollars or perhaps even in the millions," she said, and asked the committee to require third-party checks so subcontractors can be protected.
Jeff Andrews of Valley Transport said his firm is owed $690,873.48 and described repeated delays and mixed information about bonds. "We received little increments here and there and kept getting strung along until we said enough was enough," Andrews said, adding that his company is pursuing legal action and had to press bond claims.
Committee members acknowledged the seriousness of the complaints. Member Callaway said she had raised subcontractor-payment concerns in a prior meeting and that the corporation counsel and procurement director had been contacted. The chair said staff would forward the information to the city's Construction and Demolition department and the administration to investigate and follow up with the claimants.
No formal action to withhold payment or change contract terms was recorded during the meeting; members moved to pose questions to the administration and requested follow-up. The committee also noted a standing placeholder item regarding Kronos Concrete and a law-department privilege memo on that matter.
The complaints reinforce calls from council members for clearer bonding and payment protections on large public contracts. The committee said it will provide the administration with submitted addresses and contact information and pursue a response from responsible departments.
