Capozzella v. Waterfun Acquisition, Inc.

140 Misc. 2d 1064, 532 N.Y.S.2d 653, 1988 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 575
CourtWatertown City Court
DecidedAugust 25, 1988
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 140 Misc. 2d 1064 (Capozzella v. Waterfun Acquisition, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Watertown City Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Capozzella v. Waterfun Acquisition, Inc., 140 Misc. 2d 1064, 532 N.Y.S.2d 653, 1988 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 575 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1988).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

James C. Harberson, Jr., J.

The plaintiff seeks $2,000 in damages for breach of contract. The respondent claims there was no contract as a matter of fact and law. .

The plaintiff runs a security business. He was contacted by Ed Bouchard in March of 1988. He was acting as an independent contractor for the defendant’s Waterfun Theme Park. He wanted to determine if the plaintiff was interested in providing security for the park when it opened in May of 1988.

The plaintiff testified that Bouchard arranged a meeting with a Steven Africk, the manager, on May 4, 1988. When [1065]*1065Bouchard and the plaintiff arrived at the office they were advised that Mr. Africk had become ill and another appointment was arranged on May 5, 1988 at 11:00 a.m. The plaintiff went to this meeting alone.

Mr. Africk and the plaintiff met for less than an hour. The plaintiff advised Africk of his extensive background in police and security work comprising of, among other things, over 12 years with the F.B.I. in various roles including security, as well as his extensive work in security for private business.

They discussed the number of men needed, the hours involved, the material needed and the structure of the security plan for the geography of the park. The price per hour suggested by the plaintiff was $7.50. Africk explained that he was also considering another firm who had a cheaper hourly rate.

The plaintiff countered with a $7-per-hour rate and, according to the plaintiff, Africk stood up, reached across the desk, shook the plaintiff’s hand saying, "It’s a deal.”

After this meeting concluded, Africk introduced the plaintiff to his park foreman, Dale Mallette. There had been a question about the time clocks used in the past and, according to the plaintiff, he was going to determine if they could be used on the job. The plaintiff and Mallette spent some time together discussing the keys for the time clocks, the number of locations where they would be placed for the watchman and where the keys were at that time. The plaintiff then left the park with the time clocks so he could determine if they were working properly. Mr. Mallette gave him these clocks.

The plaintiff called Lathem Time Recorder Company on May 11, 1988 to order paper dials for the time clocks and had them shipped to the park. The plaintiff also inquired about insurance coverage if he acted as courier to take the daily receipts to the bank. The job was to begin on May 18, 1988.

On May 13, 1988 Bouchard advised the plaintiff that he heard Africk had entered into a security agreement with another firm. The plaintiff called Africk on May 13, 1988 and he was advised he had been quoted a better price from another person and he had decided not to hire the plaintiff.

Mr. Africk testified that he had an extensive management background but that he had no experience with security services. He confirmed a meeting took place but that the discussions were not as detailed as the plaintiff related. He said the meeting took place on May 12, 1988 and that at the [1066]*1066termination of the meeting no firm agreement had been reached. He also affirmed that he gave no permission to have the time clocks removed from the park and that the plaintiff had taken them without his consent.

Mr. Africk testified that he hired another firm on May 13, 1988 (the day after he consulted with the plaintiff, according to Africk’s testimony). This same day the plaintiff called Africk upon hearing from Bouchard that another person had been hired to provide security. Africk agreed that he informed the plaintiff on May 13, 1988 he did not need his services.

Mr. Africk submits as exhibit A of his lawyer’s brief (and raised the issue during cross-examination of the plaintiff) a newspaper story where the plaintiff said there had been an agreement firmed up by a handshake that was terminated before it began. The story reported:

“He charges that about a week before the security job was to begin, he and Mr. Africk shook hands after agreeing to terms, with Mr. Africk saying, 'Then it’s a deal.’

" T learned three days later, by telephone, that he decided to go with somebody else,’ Mr. Capozzella said.” (Watertown Daily Times, June 9, 1988.)

A review of the testimony and exhibits is necessary to ascertain the date these events took place and from it discern, to the extent possible, the true story.

The plaintiff says the arranged meeting occurred on May 5, 1988, while Africk says it occurred on May 12, 1988. While the actual date is in dispute, there is no question a meeting of short duration did take place between the plaintiff and Africk. The telephone bill shows the plaintiff called the Lathem Time Recorder Company on May 11, 1988 at 12:36 p.m. The invoice from the same company shows a shipment of paper dials to Waterfun Theme Park on May 16, 1988.

If the testimony of Africk is correct then why would the plaintiff call the company supplying time clock dials on May 11, 1988? This is the day before Africk even met the plaintiff and, certainly, before the plaintiff could have even seen the time clocks to determine the make of the clocks and whether the dials were needed. In other words, the plaintiff could not have called (nor would he have had any reason to call) before he secured the clocks subsequent to meeting with Africk. The court concludes that the meeting took place on May 5, 1988 and not on May 12, 1988.

The plaintiff testified in detail about the proposed security [1067]*1067arrangements he and Africk agreed about at their meeting. Africk denies the discussion was anything more than a general review of needs and prices to meet those needs. It is the impression of the court that the plaintiffs detailed understanding of the operation of the park could have only come from a complete discussion of the whole operation in order to assess the security needs and, for that matter, the attendant cost to provide it. That is why he had knowledge of the animals, key locations, rain gear, et cetera, when he testified; that is why he examined the time clocks (and ordered the paper dials); and that is why he made additional inquiry into courier insurance if he was going to carry money to the bank under a separate agreement.

It is fair to assume if Africk had no experience with security contracts then he was either using the plaintiff to obtain information concerning what the park needed under the guise of negotiating an agreement or, once he had the plaintiff’s price, he went to the other security firm to force their price lower having the plaintiff to return to if the other firm would not reduce the cost for services. As it turned out, whatever the scenario, the plaintiff was not hired.

Exhibit A is a security service bid made by the firm the defendant hired. It is dated May 11, 1988. There is a document dated May 18, 1988, submitted as part of exhibit A which includes a security service agreement. This second document sets out information required by General Business Law § 84 and 19 NYCRR 173.1. It is interesting to note that this document is devoid of any details concerning the manner in which the services were to be carried out for the defendant by the security force. It was this detail that the plaintiff and Africk discussed at their meeting in addition to dates, hours and price.

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Bluebook (online)
140 Misc. 2d 1064, 532 N.Y.S.2d 653, 1988 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 575, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/capozzella-v-waterfun-acquisition-inc-nywatertcityct-1988.