Carson firm sues Douglas County for nonpayment

The lawsuit also contends the county illegally bypassed Resource Concepts Inc. in hiring Eissmann-Pence Architecture of Carson City, one of RCI's consultants, to produce plans for a gymnasium at the park.

RCI claims the money is due for work not specifically covered in the company's agreement but authorized by a former county manager, plus other costs including several months of utility bills at the property.

The bill was submitted in January 1996, and three months later the county offered to settle for just $5,465, according to the complaint filed in Douglas County District Court.

Although the Kahle project was originally budgeted at $1.8 million, the complaint alleges that changes requested by the county, including a preliminary design of the gymnasium, pushed the cost to $2.3 million.

RCI's lawsuit asks that the county be ordered to pay the $142,648 plus interest from November 1995, and that the contract with Eissmann-Pence be voided because it wasn't advertised and put out to bid.

Douglas County Manager Dan Holler said he wasn't familiar with RCI's billing complaint, but said there was no requirement to go to bid in the case of the Eissmann-Pence contract. He added actual construction will go to bid.

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