Community activist Alvertis Simmons has sued the Regional Transportation District, claiming the agency backed out of a contract it had with companies he controls.
Simmons’ firms were to inspect RTD park-n-Ride lots and other facilities and offer luggage-handling help on Denver International Airport bus routes. But in January 2006, RTD forced Simmons to withdraw from the $185,000 no-bid contract because the agency said he didn’t disclose an arrest warrant on a bad-check charge issued against him in Las Vegas in 2002. At the time Simmons won the RTD contract, he had been indicted on a forgery charge in Denver related to an effort to get security work during the NBA All-Star Weekend in February 2005.
RTD was aware of the Denver charge when it granted the contract, and last June, a jury acquitted Simmons. Last April, the bad-check charge in Nevada was resolved when Simmons paid restitution and court officials moved to dismiss the case, said Simmons attorney Mark Bove. The issues about Simmons’ personal life had “nothing to do with his companies’ ability to perform the contract,” he said.
RTD spokesman Scott Reed said, “Mr. Simmons withdrew from the contract, and RTD paid the legitimate expenses he incurred.”
