High School Pool Workers Protest

The contractor and subcontractors building a pool at took to the street in protest Monday, claiming owes them more than $900,000.

About 10 workers held signs that said: “No money, no pool,” “Not paid since October” and “Dr. Farley where is the project $.” They marched and passed out fliers during drop-off time near the school entrance. 

Marcus Walton, spokesman for the school district, and Superintendent Joseph Farley said the builder would be paid when “deficiencies” in workmanship are corrected.

“The district cannot pay for work that is not completed to standard or to our contract," Walton said. "About 90 official deficiency notices have been issued during this project. These issues would have to be addressed before any payment is made.”

Orange County sheriff's deputies were called to the school Monday morning, but their role was merely to keep the peace and make sure protesters didn’t impede traffic, Lt. John Meyer said. No one was arrested. 

“People have the right to demonstrate,” Meyer said.

Kinan Kotrash, vice president with Horizons Construction Co. of Anaheim, the firm that won the bid to build the pool, blamed the dispute on disagreements with the district’s consultant, Construction Manager Walt Eden, not quality of workmanship.

“Eden is so arrogant … He doesn’t listen. He doesn’t care about the workers. He doesn’t care about the subcontractors,” Kotrash said. The personality conflicts have caused him to go through five site supervisors, he said.

“They’ve given us 50 percent [of the payments due], and we are 95 percent complete. We are financing 45 percent of the pool,” he said.

The district owes Horizons an October payment of $450,000, a November payment of $280,000 and a December check for $200,000, Kotrash said.

Eden referred requests for comment to the school district.

“District officials have met with Horizons President Hatem Ibrahim numerous times to review ongoing concerns,” Walton said. 

For their part, Kotrash and his partner Ibraham said they were now financing the pool out of their own pockets, having gone through their company’s coffers.

“We can’t afford $1 million to finance the project,” Kotrash said. It’s hurting the subcontractors the most. “Some people don’t have money to feed their kids. They don’t have money to put fuel in their cars.”

Walton said that issue should be handled by Horizons: "As the contractor for this project, it is Horizons’ responsibility to ensure payment of its subcontractors, not the district’s." Walton also noted that Horizons didn't submit its October invoice until Dec. 23.

The school board for a bit more than $3 million. .

Since then, Kotrash said, the district has added $266,000 worth of change orders.

The pool was originally supposed to be completed in December, with students able to use the pool starting this month.

The target finish date is now February, Walton said.

with how long it has taken the school district to build the pool. San Juan Hills High, the newest high school in the district, opened in 2007.