“Ms. Harper, thank you for joining us on short notice,” Dillard said.
“Of course.”
“You’re here today as project manager for the Haywood Lake Redevelopment Initiative, correct?”
“Yes,” she said, surprised that her voice sounded strong even though her gut was anything but. “The proposal was approvedby the council last fall with permits granted through Planning and Development.”
Dillard gave a tight nod. “Since your work began, we’ve received multiple incident reports at the project site. Vandalism and, most recently, a fire in a storage shed. It’s the council’s duty to assess the situation.”
Lainey’s fingers clenched the podium. “We’re taking everything very seriously. I’ve filed a report with the police. We’ve increased lighting and, as of this week, installed cameras and brought in private security to patrol the site overnight.”
At the far end of the table, Councilman Russo leaned forward.
Crap.
Lainey had previous encounters with him. He thought she was too young, too inexperienced to be running this project. “Security should have been a priority from day one,” he said. “You’re pouring your money into this, but what happens when you run dry?”
Lainey’s throat tightened. Didn’t blink. “I’ve planned for contingencies,” she said. “No one expected the vandalism, but I’m not walking away from something I believe in.”
Russo grunted like he didn’t buy it. “That sounds noble but reckless.”
Before she could respond, Councilwoman Bell cut in. “Ms. Harper, some of the surrounding businesses are concerned about the uptick in vandalism. Do you have a plan to address those concerns?”
Lainey nodded, thankful for the slight shift in tone. “Yes. We’ve limited overnight work and put up a security fence that will deter people from just walking into the project.” She took a deep breath. These were reasonable questions that thankfully she had answers for.
“Let’s talk financials,” Councilman Cho said, flipping through a packet in front of him. “Are your workers subcontracted under your license or hired independently?”
“They’re subcontracted under my license. Each subcontractor carries independent insurance, and I’ve verified all licenses,” Lainey replied. “I also have general liability and builder’s risk coverage for the site.”
Cho nodded once. “And you’re financing this personally?”
She nodded. “Yes. The contract’s structured around reimbursement at each completed milestone. So I cover upfront costs and submit documentation for review before funds are released.”
Cho paused, tapping his pen against the paper. “What happens if there’s a delay or something goes wrong? Are you carrying the loss until it’s resolved?”
“That’s the agreement,” Lainey replied. “I knew the terms going in.”
And she had.
She’d known exactly what she was getting into, the timeline, the budget, the risks. She just hadn’t planned on the vandalism.
Lainey looked at the members of the council, who were busy scribbling notes. Her legs felt weak, and she hoped she was almost finished. Passing out was not an option.
Then Councilwoman Rosa Delgado leaned in. “This is your first project in Haywood Lake, right?”
“Yes. First time renovating one this size.”
Rosa nodded. “Why here?”
Lainey hesitated.
Sure, she had an answer. But it wasn’t something she was willing to share, and especially not in a room full of strangers.
“I was looking for a small project that felt like it was worth the risk,” she said. “Haywood Lake is a wonderful town with a lot of character. But I’ve seen what happens when empty buildingsget written off. People start to believe they don’t matter. I see the potential and beauty that I want to bring back to life.”
“Thank you,” Delgado said.
Dillard cleared her throat. “We’ll be issuing a letter of formal concern to be kept on file with the town’s redevelopment board. Please submit an updated site plan and safety outline by the end of the week.”
