'Shoddy' Amphitheater Work Remains

Forks Township Supervisor Dan Martyak asks the same question practically every meeting.

"What is the status with the amphitheater?"

And Martyak usually receives the same answer: Absolutely nothing.

Forks Township officials are demanding answers to why repair work that needs to be done on the township's amphitheater is falling on deaf ears.

For nearly a year now, Forks officials have dealt with "shoddy" work done by the contractor of the amphitheater, which the township uses for its Sounds of Summer concert series and for Forks Community Days.

Public Works Director Mark Roberts told Martyak at last month's Board of Supervisors meeting that solicitor Karl Kline has tried to reach out to get Fourmen Construction Co. of New York back to make repairs.

"But there's been no contact," Roberts said. "No one has heard from them at all. We are still holding back payment money."

At issue is fixing two panels that are covered with temporary patches and pouring concrete to fill cracks.

But a concern is that the company is no longer in business. That's why Forks officials have arranged for the amphitheater's architect to come before them at Thursday night's work session meeting.

The architect is also the same one who designed the new public works building, which currently has water leakage issues.

Complaints have previously been made that the amphitheater went way over budget and that its design was not best suited for Forks.

Martyak and officials just hope it's ready for summer.

"We need them to be accountable," he said. "They have to get in here."