| 9/22/2009 10:50:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Deputies urge caution on blacktop solicitors
By James Debilzen
Union staff writer
JEFFERSON - Area property owners are being warned to be leery of contractors who are going door-to-door selling asphalt work.
Since this spring, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has been investigating a company that is providing inconsistent asphalt services, often going door-to-door and telling property owners it has leftover product and that its crew can pave their driveway at a reduced price.
"Sometimes they do good work; sometimes they do poor work," said Detective Sgt. Larry Lee of the sheriff's office. "Sometimes it's a strong-armed thing; sometimes it isn't. We, at the present time, are working with other agencies and entities on these people."
Given that citations or charges have not been filed and some property owners have been satisfied with the work, the Daily Jefferson County Union has chosen not to identify the company, which is not local, at this time.
The Dane County Sheriff's Office also is investigating a similar complaint, according to a press release.
Dane County officials said a paving company tried to overcharge a homeowner for paving work that was done in the Town of Burke on Sept. 19. After the workers had completed the project, the company attempted to charge the homeowner more than $30,000.
Lee declined to call the situation a scam, stating that he considers a scam to be someone who promises a service, gets paid and then doesn't do it.
"That's not what's happening here," Lee said. "What they're doing is they're improperly presenting themselves. According to the State of Wisconsin, you cannot come to someone's property and say, 'I've got leftover product. I'll give you a great price if you want to do your driveway.'
"They're doing stuff illegally, but I wouldn't call it a scam," he added.
The detective sergeant said the company also has not consistently filled out contracts properly.
"They're not writing on there what they're going to do, how much blacktop they're going to lay down, how much square footage, etc.," Lee said. "Sometimes, they'll quote a price and then come back and say it's more. That's not a consistent thing with them."
Lee said the sheriff's office has had contact with both customers who are happy with the work the company has provided and others who are not so pleased.
"They are actually using blacktop from the area," Lee said. "They get the blacktop and, depending on how early in the day you get your job done, the better job you're going to get. As blacktop cools down, it's harder to spread."
The company's vehicles have license plates from South Carolina, Lee said. It appears it spends six months of the year in Wisconsin and the six months during the winter in South Carolina.
"I don't know what you would call your home base," he said. "We've found them in hotel rooms;, we've found them at residences. They're all over."
Lee said property owners should use caution when approached by paving companies utilizing similar practices.
"If you're suspicious of what's going on, then don't do it," he said. "If someone's coming to your door and saying they've got leftover blacktop, I would not do that. It's against the law and I don't believe you're going to get a good job.
"These people are not supposed to go door-to-door soliciting and saying they've got product left over," Lee added. "That's against the law. That's what they've been doing and that's what we're looking into for possible charges."
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