The date of substantial completion for the Libla Family Sports Complex at Three Rivers College (TRC) has been pushed back to June 29, according to a statement from Keith Huffman, president of Huffman Construction, the project's general contractor.
Until late Wednesday, TRC officials had not been notified of further delays by Huffman, which began work on the more than $8.3 million facility in September 2016.
Three Rivers College President Dr. Wesley Payne said the college is dissatisfied with Huffman Construction's performance, but hopes to move forward collaboratively.
"The college, while we continue to be disappointed with Huffman's inability to provide required documentation and the extensive delay of the project, we are committed to working in a positive way with all parties involved and look forward to the completion of this project and the start of next season in the new building," Payne said.
The target completion date was previously rescheduled to April 25 during a summer Board of Trustees meeting in an effort to accommodate earlier delays. Trustees were hopeful graduation ceremonies in May would be the first event held inside the complex. However, due to the unusually slow construction time, that will not be the case.
"We had some issues out there but we're behind those now," said Huffman, who declined to comment of the nature of the delays. Huffman said TRC is fulfilling its end of the contract and that the college is at no fault in this matter.
Throughout the project's lifetime, the college has struggled with Huffman time and time again, including with a request for copies of bonds covering the project. In this case, a bond serves as a guarantee to the college that the contractor's work will be performed accurately and all parties involved will be paid.
For the sake of this story, the overall project is comprised of six mini-projects included in what is referred to as a bid package.
Bid-package work is often bid out to sub-contractors and managed by the general contractor. Huffman bid and won two of the mini-projects, along with Zoellner Construction, Co., of Perryville, Mo., and local company, RLP.
On Feb. 26, Huffman told the college he would provide hard copies of the bid package contractor bonds, a total of six, including the two owned by Huffman Construction. Huffman did provide copies of bid package bonds from sub-contractors RLP and Zoellner, but not from Huffman Construction.
He offers no explanation as to why he cannot provide documentation, except that he "has no hard copies of those bonds," in his possession.
The college also requested a copy of the performance and payment bonds that cover the entire $8.3 million project. The payment and performance bonds are required per the contractual agreement. However, until the February request, Huffman had not taken out the payment and performance bonds, despite the contract's requirements.
"I got (the payment and performance bonds) upon request by the board," said Huffman, nearly a year a half after the project began.
Huffman said he initially believed a payment and performance bond was unnecessary.
"I was under the impression that bid package bonds would be enough to cover it," Huffman said.
However, even though the performance and payment bonds void the need for bid package bonds, Huffman Construction still has not provided proof that its two bid package items were bonded from the beginning.
A Friday afternoon attempt to reach Huffman by the Daily American Republic in regard to the name of Huffman Construction's bonding company was unsuccessful.
Huffman also said though it may appear to community members that the work site is understaffed, much of the progress occurs inside the building and may not be visible to passerby.
"This will be a really nice facility when it's done," Huffman said.
Despite the struggles regarding the completion of the Libla Family Sports Complex, and the mystery of the missing bonds, Huffman Construction now has in its possession everything it needs to meet the requirements. According to Payne, the project is fully bonded and TRC is protected in the off chance more "issues" should occur.