Butler Co. VA Center On Hold After Allegations Of Misconduct By Contractor
EVANS CITY (KDKA) -- The brand new $75 million Butler VA Outpatient Healthcare Center slated to open in 2015 may just stay on the drawing board for a while longer.
The Department of Veterans Affairs stopped work on the project along Evans City Road just four months after the groundbreaking.
The reason for the stoppage is an investigation into alleged misconduct by the project's prime contractor, Westar Development Company of Aurora, Ohio, by the Office of the Inspector General.
According to a statement from the Veterans Administration, "The OIG found that Westar made false and misleading representations in its proposal during the Butler Lease Procurement... The VA takes these allegations very seriously and will aggressively pursue any, and all, legal actions necessary."
"For me, it's just disappointing to know that through the process somebody didn't catch whatever it was earlier during the process and all of this could have been avoided," said John Cyprian, director of Butler County Veterans Services.
Cyprian would like to see some accountability, but says veterans will be served regardless.
"The veterans in the community haven't expressed any dismay, if you will, about the project," Cyprian said. "They know that they'll still get their quality healthcare."
Butler VA Hospital administrators referred all questions to the VA in Washington D.C.
KDKA was not able to reach Westar Development Company for a comment.
The Veterans Administration is doing whatever possible to get construction underway and the healthcare center on track again.
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