Wednesday — February 18, 2004

Hanks, Wilson trust
pays contractor

Storey camp ‘pleased’ with outcome

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By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

A Ketchum contractor has been granted a substantial award from a trust of renowned actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson through arbitration linked to an alleged construction debt in excess of $1 million.

Miles Stanislaw, attorney for Storey Construction, confirmed this week that an award was granted to the Ketchum-based construction company after the closure of arbitration hearings related to the company’s dispute with Hanks and Wilson.

"Arbitration hearings were held for 10 days in Ketchum, Idaho, in late September and early October (2003)," Stanislaw said Tuesday, Feb. 17. "And Storey Construction was extremely pleased with the award rendered by the arbitrators because the award recognized that Storey Construction company and its many fine subcontractors and suppliers were entitled to be completely paid for their hard work and good effort."

The exact terms of the decision rendered by arbitrators in the matter were not publicly disclosed.

Stanislaw said he could not discuss details of the dispute or the arbitration decision. However, he noted that Storey Construction company "was thrilled with the outcome" of the case.

"What this thing shows is good things happen to good people," he said.

Gary Storey, president of Storey Construction, said he could not publicly confirm whether a payment was issued in his favor, but noted that he considers the dispute to essentially have come to a close on Monday, Feb. 9.

"I’m pleased with the outcome, obviously," he said.

Storey added: "I think that it was a fair decision. I think it was unfortunate that it had to go that far."

Stanislaw said: "Given recent developments, there is no longer a need for Storey Construction to foreclose" on a lien it filed in Blaine County against the Hanks-Wilson trust.

Blaine County records show a lien of $1,750,718 had been filed in November 2002 against the couple’s trust, but was later modified to $1,218,820 in April 2003.

Storey Construction in January 2003 filed a lawsuit against Hanks and Wilson, claiming that the company was owed $1.75 million for allegedly unpaid work done on the couple’s house north of Ketchum.

Presiding in Hailey, 5th District Court Judge James May later ordered the case file sealed, possibly responding to security concerns raised by Hanks and Wilson.

The two parties eventually entered arbitration to resolve the dispute.

Ned Williamson, a Hailey-based attorney who has represented Hanks and Wilson in the matter, said Tuesday that a "confidentiality provision" in the contract between the disputing parties prohibits open discussion of the case.

"It is not appropriate for me or others to comment on the status of the case or any resolution in the case," he said.

Williamson did note that, from his perspective, the case is "still pending."

In a 2003 5th District Court hearing related to the matter, Williamson told the court that the July 2000 construction contract between Storey and a trust linked to Hanks and Wilson called for confidential, binding arbitration in the event of any dispute.

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