Companies in dispute over $230K bill reach mediation agreement

GALVESTON - The parties in a lawsuit over a $230,000 bill stemming from a beach restoration project reached a mediation agreement, recent court records show.

In a letter to Galveston County 56th District Court Judge Lonnie Cox dated Aug. 8 and entered Aug. 19, attorney Richard P. Flake of Cokinos Bosien & Young in Houston states he successfully mediated the dispute between West End Marine Inc. and RLB Contracting Inc. 

West End Marine sued RLB Contracting approximately two months ago in an effort to recoup $231,752.50 for providing equipment, supplies and services in connection with the restoration of beaches in Matagorda County.

Both companies had an agreement which called for West End Marine to provide sand towing and delivery using its tugs and barges in exchange for payment of $1.65 per cubic yard remitted by RLB Contracting.

According to the suit, the defendant guaranteed that the depth of the water at the delivery point would be sufficient for a barge fully loaded with sand to readily unload, and it would provide any and all fresh water needs for the towing operation to which the plaintiff later learned was untrue.

The project proceeded and an invoice with the amount formerly in question was generated, but the respondent called the bill into question only to not pay it in a timely manner, the original petition said.

RLB Contracting fired back at the allegations as well as attempted to remove the litigation from Galveston County in late July.

It was represented by attorney Mark. C. Guthrie of Winstead PC in Houston.

Case No. 13-CV-722