Yukon's Supreme Court to hear Whistle Bend dispute
Government and contractor suing each other
The fight over work at the Whistle Bend subdivision is headed for a showdown in Yukon Supreme Court.
At $250 million, it's the biggest construction project the Yukon Government has ever done. But part-way into the project, a record-setting lawsuit looms.
Doug Gonder's Norcope Enterprises claims the government owes it millions of dollars for extra work it performed but was not paid for.
Lawyers for the Yukon Government have now counterclaimed, accusing Gonder of bullying, intimidation, and slander.
They say Gonders’ $17 million contract was never completed, and Whistle Bend streets and sidewalks will have to be dug up and resurfaced just to re-align misplaced water and sewer piping.
Claims by both sides are so numerous that the Yukon Supreme Court has scheduled a 12 week trial in spring of 2014 to hear the arguments.
Meanwhile, water and sewer services for Whistle Bend's single resident were turned on last week.
City managers say it will cost about a $250,000 a year to operate.