TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Phildelia Marc was thrilled with the opportunity to help clean up storm debris, working for a private contractor hired by the City of St. Petersburg through its Hometown Recovery Haulers program.

“I needed the money,” Marc said. “I mean who don’t need the money. $200 a load if you can get as many as you can. That’s good money. That’s why a lot of were lined up, hauling this junk.”

She spent one long day loading up her white van with debris and taking it to a city dump,
but nearly two weeks later, she hasn’t seen a dime.

Marc said she unloaded five hauls and is owed $1,000. At least 25 people worked as subcontractors for man-assigned placard #83.

“Some people did 10,” Marc said. “Some people did 12.”

Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken went to city hall for answers and was told they’d look into this.

She reached to the contractor, Ronald Gibson.

He said none of his 25 workers have been paid yet because he was waiting on his check from the city to clear. He explained that he is paid $300 per load and will pass long $200 of that to workers.

However, he said Marc’s group didn’t upload their photos correctly, and he hasn’t been paid for their hauls yet.

Marc said she is hopeful that the city, the contractor, and the workers can get extra time to clear this up. Meanwhile, though, she said she felt used.

“We’ve been waiting 72 hours after 72 hours, and today is the third 72 hours we’re going to have to wait,” she said.

Gibson, the contractor, said he’s meeting most workers tomorrow morning with checks.
he said he’s trying to clear up confusion for other workers so he can get paid and pass along money to them.

A spokesperson for the city said they worked with 100 contractors and have issued 189 checks totaling $1.3 million.

She said they have six contractors that have deficiencies in their submissions, and they are working to correct that and pay them.

As far as Marc is concerned, the city said they can pay only the contractor, and it’s his responsibility to pay his workers.