In early March of 2023, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners took the unprecedented step – after a long closed session – of voting unanimously to terminate a $24 million construction contract with Samet Corp. to demolish the old Guilford County jail and nearby Otto Zenke Building in downtown Greensboro, and build a new Sheriff’s Department headquarters and adjoining parking lot.
Neither the county commissioners nor Samet Corp. ever revealed the deep dark secret that caused the two to part ways. However, the county did pay Samet for the work it had done – largely preparing the old jail for demolition.
This week, in response to a public records request, county officials stated that the money paid to Samet Corp for that work totaled $4.5 million.
Phase 1 of the demolition and construction contract had been virtually completed, and, before the board ended the contract, Samet was scheduled to handle Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the project and get paid the remaining $19.4 million.
Last week, at a Thursday, Feb. 1, work session, the Board of Commissioners approved a new contract with Blum-WC – a joint venture between Winston-Salem based Blum Construction and Winston-Salem-based WC Construction. They are being paid $26.7 million to complete the project, which is $2.7 million higher than the original agreement with Samet – even though the new companies are only doing Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the project, not Phase 1, which Samet Corp. completed.
So now the project total, $4.5 million plus $26.7 million, will be $31.2 million, meaning that it will cost $7.2 million more than originally planned.
The hiatus in work also added another year to the Sheriff’s Department’s ability to move its administrative headquarters out of the Otto Zenke building – something that’s been a very long time coming for the department.
In 2005, for instance, sheriff’s officials invited the Rhino Times to tour the Otto Zenke building in order to encourage the publication to write how much a new facility was needed. A few years later, massive rainfall completely flooded the lowest floor of the building to a level of eight feet high, which didn’t help matters.
Now cost 7 million more due to racism. Skip you are the definition of racism. Unfortunately not picking the most qualified but picking skin color caused this increase to the taxpayers of Guilford County.
Huh. How? That makes no sense. There is racism. Coming from everywhere. But that doesn’t make any sense. Nothing in this article makes any since. There needs to be a change in this color wheel society. I’m native American but called white. I have guns drawn on me, profiled, and had my white best friend since I was 3 shot down by a sheriff. That said I’d rather have the police and not need them. Then need them and not have them. More community and closure relationships is what I’d like to see truthfully. There’s people out there with buyers remorse. Which police deal with all the time. Like the girlfriend that calls the police but when the cop arrest the boyfriend, the attack them. Cultural sensitive training and community programs. That would help, but nobody’s perfect. We’re all humans, have you ever done something in a split second that bothers you to this day. Was it always racial or just a quick decision. We have to treat each other, how we would want someone to understand out decisions.
Glenn,
Posted in regard to your characterization of Skip Alston as a racist.
The following paragraph was taken from the June 8, 2023 Rhino TImes:
Alston, who’s been a political fixture in Guilford County for over three decades, has served as the president of the state NAACP organization and been a staunch advocate for minority rights on the Board of Commissioners. He was the key force behind Greensboro getting a street named after Martin Luther King Jr., as well as the founder of the parade that travels down that street every January. Alston is also one of the founders of the International Civil Rights Museum in the old Woolworths store in downtown Greensboro.
A past president of the state NAACP with a focus on minority rights!! In his position as a Guilford County commissioner shouldn’t he be focused on the rights of all Guilford County citizens?!!
As it stands, if it looks like a skunk, walks like a skunk and smells like a skunk, then chances are it actually is a skunk. Or a racist, as you claimed in your post and the Rhino TImes eloquently described in their article.
This just smells of corruption like the current President and his administration. Blum Construction and Winston-Salem-based WC Construction are paying a person or persons on the Guilford County Commission. Again, Guilford County is run by democrats and this is exactly out of their playbook!
And the Guilford County Taxpayers have Skip Alston to blame for this $7,000,000 tax increase! When the project is complete, I hope Skip Alston will be locked up there!
Jim Donaldson
More money? No worries, we’ll raise taxes on the minions.
Taxpayers: “Why are you shutting me down!?”
A County Person: “I’m shocked, SHOCKED to find massive mismanagement and cost overrun going on here.”
{A minion walks up with a stack of money} “your $7.2 million dollars sir.”
County Person: “Oh, thank you.”
That somewhat modified movie scene was the first thing that came to mind when this was reported. And the bad thing is I’m surprised it came out this early in the process. Normally we don’t hear about it until long after anything can be done about it.
I’m going to make a bet here. The Greensboro City Council will try to use this as a distraction to sweep their serious screw up under a rug.
You just can’t make this stuff up.
Thanks Skip. Another brilliant move with the tax payers money.
Hmmmm…. Seems like many of us mentioned there would be a tremendous cost to these shenanigans. It’s funny how common sense works.
And the hits just keep on coming. I know the contract is “Construction Manager at Risk” which means any cost overruns are at the expense of the contractor, a smart way to do business. The problem is another cost is whatever occurs while continuing operating in the Zenke Building. You mentioned the tour my administration gave you. It’s only gotten worse.. You mentioned the flooding, snakes and rotten walls and flooring in this and other articles.. Keeping these things in mind it is irresponsible to think there will not be additional issues that need to be addressed. Schools are not the only buildings being overlooked. Look for additional cost.
Someone should be eliminated. Nah,skip that thought
Has anyone noticed the nice recruiting video on Fox 8 they keep playing? Last night (Feb. 7th) where they mention come to the Job Fair on Wednesday January 31st. Who is in charge of setting up the advertising for the Sheriff’s Office? If they can’t manage something that simple, how can they manage the rest of the budget?