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Chief homicide officer delivers message to contractor - South Bend Tribune: Archives Pagel of 3 Chief homicide officer delivers message to contractor; He apparently was sent by developer to suggest disputed items be returned. South Bend Tribune - South Bend, Ind. Author: NANCY J. SULOK Date: Jul 20, 2006 Start Page: 1 Section: Local Text Word Count: 992 Document Text Tim Corbett, St. Joseph County's chief homicide detective, paid a visit to a local contractor on July 13 to urge him to return disputed property related to work left undone at a downtown job site. Although he was wearing a badge and carrying a gun, Corbett told the contractor he was not there in his official capacity, but on behalf of a focal businessman. Tim Corbett? The commander of the County /Metro Homicide Unit? What in the heck was he doing interfering in what might be a civil disagreement? Is that part of his job? Was it intimidation? Abuse of authority? Maybe. Maybe not. Here's the story. Mark Price, owner of ThermoTech Services Inc., says the developer of a planned downtown restaurant owes him $950,000 for work he completed and materials he bought. Robert Urbanski, who is trying to help the restaurant's owner finish the work, says his figures show that Price actually was overpaid. He insists Price must return some materials so the work can be completed. Price had started work in June 2005 on the Noma lounge and restaurant at 119 N. Michigan St. It was to be done in September, then the date was moved back to October, then to January, then to March. On July 5, Urbanski fired Price, who said he packed up his belongings and left. Urbanski said when Price left the job site the final time, he took truckloads of things needed to finish the work. In dispute were a revolving door, a special heater for the kitchen, a custom -made bathroom sink and other items. Price said he paid for those out of ThermoTech's checking account and was not reimbursed. He has the canceled checks to prove it. Urbanski said Price was paid for everything, and he also has checks to prove it. He accused Price of stealing the materials. It sounds like a civil dispute, one that might end up in court. But earlier this month, Urbanski said, he called Joseph F. Nagy, who handles budget matters in the prosecutor's office, to get advice. Urbanski and Nagy are longtime political buddies and also served together on the board of the failed Sobieski Bank. Nagy, of course, is a number- cruncher, not a lawyer. He has bounced from job to job to job in local government, including the jobs of sheriff and auditor. Nagy suggested that he talk to Corbett. When he did, Urbanski said, Corbett agreed to pay Price a visit. At about 11:15 a.m. on July 13, Corbett showed up at a job site on the city's southeast side and asked Price to step outside to talk. http:// pqasb. pgarchiver. com /southbendtribune /acce,ssI11223 03 711.html ?FMT= FT &FMTS... 5/29/2012