After seeing our article from Jan. 12 detailing how Basnight Construction received a subcontract job to build a portion of the $25 million fishing pier in Sen. Marc Basnight’s district, news reporters caught up with him yesterday to ask him about his involvement.
Sen. Basnight’s response according to the N&O was that he resigned from Basnight Construction in August 2009 once he was told that Basnight Construction “plan(ned) to bid on the work.”
The problem is, by that time, Basnight Construction had not only planned to bid, but had actually placed a bid and been awarded a subcontract to do work. According to documents given to us by the NC Division of Aquariums, Basnight Construction was awarded a subcontract to do work pending funding for the project being in place in December 2008 — a full 9 months prior to what Basnight told the N&O.
In between December 2008 and August 2009, Sen. Basnight pushed a bill through the General Assembly (HB 628) that authorized the funding for the pier project in April 2009.
So something in the Senator’s story isn’t holding up. Here’s the timeline spelled out:
November 2008 – Basnight Construction listed as an interested subcontractor for work on the pier project
December 4, 2008 – Basnight Construction awarded subcontract for pier pending the project being funded and Clancy & Theys receiving general contract
April 14, 2009 – HB 628 (which authorizes and funds the pier project) is given final passage by the NC Senate and signed by Gov. Perdue that same day
April 15, 2009 – Contract is awarded to Clancy & Theys for $22 million to construct N.C. Aquarium’s Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head
August 5, 2009 – Sen. Marc Basnight submits letter of resignation from Board of Basnight Construction and transfers the 2,800 shares of the company he owns to his cousin Jimmy Basnight
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