ONLY ON 3: Contractor defends company, says workers will get paid

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — We have response from a contractor accused of not paying workers for an ongoing job here in Wilmington.

“Commercial construction is a challenge,” NC Contracting president Robert Miller. “It’s very difficult for us subcontractors, the little men on the pole. It’s very difficult.”

Miller is a subcontractor working under Clancy & Theys General Contracting on the New Brooklyn Homes complex in downtown Wilmington. Several workers on the project say Miller has not paid them, but Miller says there’s an explanation.

“As far as I know, there was unforseen medical issues from a member of the Clancy & Theys team, which prolonged us getting our check, and then I had family medical issues that kind of added to the issue,” Miller said.

This story stirred up lots of comments on our website about Miller’s character and his company. He says more than half of the negative feedback stem from the owners of The Nail Man, a supplier in Georgia, who Miller says is trying to sabotage him.

“People are gonna have their opinions,” Miller said. “All I can tell you is that people are gonna get paid. Everybody that worked on our jobsite, that worked for our company is gonna get paid in full. There are people still out there working for us on the job today. Would these people be working if they had a history of not being paid? Do you think that we’d be on this job seven months without this happening sooner?”

Miller says the mix-up is a calamity that will probably only happen once, but has changed his business forever.

“Unfortunately, my reputation was destroyed, but I feel like I’ll have vindication when everybody gets paid,” he said.

Miller said checks are going in the mail Friday afternoon.

The owners of The Nail Man told us they were waiting for money from Miller they say is months overdue. Miller says they got their check, but they say it was for another job in Mississippi and not the Wilmington project. Millers said the check was for the Wilmington job, and that the general contractor on the Mississippi job is paying The Nail Man directly.