Contractor To Continue Working For Schools

BARTOW | For now, M.M. Parrish Construction Company, the Gainesville contractor for the Polk County School District that is under investigation by the FBI, will continue doing work for the county.

On Friday, Parrish President Michael Walsh and Vice President Lloyd Whann met with Fred Murphy, who is currently overseeing the district's facilities division, about the future of the company's business.

During the 40-minute meeting in the District's facilities conference room, Murphy told Parrish officials they can continue construction on Lake Region and Ridge Community High School freshmen centers, two projects each valued at $7 million for the company, which has received about $220 million in work from the district in the past 10 years.

"We explained to them that there is a legal contract," Murphy said. "We have to assume everyone is innocent until proven guilty."

"They pledged to us that it will be done appropriately," Murphy said. "We are moving forward cautiously."

On Tuesday, the FBI seized documents from Parrish offices in Winter Haven and at the company's headquarters in Gainesville. That morning, eight FBI agents seized computers and documents from the facilities division in Bartow and questioned dozens of employees.

The federal agency is investigating whether Parrish received special treatment from the district. Assistant Superintendent Bob Williams, 65; his son Rob, 39, a project coordinator; Terry Collins, 52, director of maintenance; and George Mercer, 55, a carpenter, have been placed on administrative leave in relation to the investigation.

Rob Williams had a connection to Parrish before handling contracts for the district, according to district records.

The younger Williams is a former project manager for the company, according to his personnel file. He worked at the company from 1992 to 2002 then from 2004 to 2006, the records show.

Based in Gainesville, Parrish has built at least four buildings for the University of Florida, and numerous buildings in school districts throughout the state.

It's unclear what documents and computer files were seized, but Murphy acknowledged agents took a lease agreement the district has with someone on property it owns in Southwest Lakeland.

The FBI is investigating the circumstances of a lease, such as rent and how long the tenant has been in the house.

Information on who the tenant is couldn't be verified Friday by The Ledger. The house, located at 5804 Yates Road south of R. Bruce Wagner Elementary, is on property the district bought for $8.3 million in 2005 for new middle and high schools.

Built in 1973, the 2,800-square-foot home is valued at $139,240, according to records.

[ John Chambliss can be reached at john.chambliss@theledger.com or 863-802-7588. ]