A man arrested in September 2013 for allegedly scamming the city of Holmes Beach on a contract for hire valued at more than $215,500 is set for a pre-trial conference Oct. 9.
City attorney Patricia Petruff notified commissioners Sept. 11 that the city clerk had sent the pre-trial conference notice and suggested at least one of them attend.
Petruff said Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer would attend the conference, which will be held at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
“I will be discussing the case with the state attorney to make sure we get our restitution from that and make sure we get our $90,000,” said Tokajer.
Holmes Beach police arrested Chris Arnold of Bradenton, owner of Services by Chris Arnold, for allegedly bilking the city out of money paid for a public works-road project in 2012.
He was arrested for felony scheming to defraud. The allegations encompass two parts of a project — curbing along Key Royale and Flotilla drives and stormwater drains installed in multiple locations throughout the city.
Tokajer said detective Sgt. Brian Hall is investigating the issues separately. The pre-trial status conference will address allegations that half of the curbing was repainted and not replaced per the contract. The curbing work totaled more than $92,000 of the total contract.
Tokajer said the drainage part of the contract is still under investigation and, if found the work was not completed, could constitute a separate charge against Arnold.
Hall is using the assistance of public works and its backhoe to dig up one of the drains installed by Arnold to review the work.
“Public works is still getting used to the Bobcat. As soon as we get that out, we’ll be out there,” Tokajer said.
In 2012, the city hired Arnold to replace existing curbing with Miami-style curbing along sections of Key Royale and Flotilla drives at $24.50 per linear foot.
In April 2013, a former employee of Arnold’s who worked on the Holmes Beach project told police that his crew did only half the contracted work and that Arnold ordered employees to paint over the remaining curbs to mask the orange spray paint used to indicate the curbing to be replaced.
City staff in public works began inspecting work sites and discovered several areas where the curbs were not replaced. In some areas, old paint was showing through the cover-up paint.
The linear feet of curbing that was not replaced as contracted was valued at $92,830.
Former building official Joe Duennes was interviewed during the investigation and first told police that he signed off on each project submitted for payment after inspecting the work.
He later admitted that he did not take full measurements. He also admitted he signed off on some of the projects without making the required inspections.
The pre-trail status conference is set for 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.