Construction exec's home target of abortion protests

Julie Poppen, Rocky Mountain News

Monday, October 29, 2007

LAKEWOOD - Anti-abortion activists marched up and down the neighborhood's tidy streets Sunday, holding graphic placards of dismembered fetuses and signs comparing abortion to the Holocaust.

But the demonstration wasn't held at a clinic or the home of an abortion provider.

As they have several times, a group of abortion foes marched in front of the home of Gary Meggison, senior vice president of the The Weitz Company Rocky Mountain Business Office.

The reason: The company has been hired by Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains to renovate and expand a building at East 38th Avenue and Pontiac Street in the Stapleton neighborhood. The 52,000-square-foot, $6.4 million facility will house administrative offices and a health clinic when it opens in about a year.

Meggison did not come out of his house as 45 protesters walked through the neighborhood, two police officers watching from their car.

A baby doll and stuffed animal were placed in a tiny white makeshift casket atop a black pickup truck in front of the home. The demonstrators prayed and sang about Jesus' love of unborn babies. They were peaceful, yet determined.

"We want to make it uncomfortable to build abortion facilities," said Keith Mason, a protest organizer formerly with Operation Rescue in Wichita. "We're doing whatever we can to stop it."

Neighbors Jim and Sarah Hopfenbeck, who were walking their dogs, passed by the demonstrators.

"We're good Christians and we support our neighbors," Jim Hopfenbeck said.

"I just ignore them," Sarah Hopfenbeck added. "His job is what his job is. If anything, this has galvanized neighbors in support (of Meggison)."

Meggison said in a telephone interview that his firm is committed to the project.

"We're more resolved than ever to build this facility and get it completed," Meggison said. "Our business is building and that's where we draw the line. These folks have crossed the line by attacking neighborhoods."

Meggison said his company has told employees who may have moral concerns with the project that they don't have to work on it. So far, he said, nobody has bowed out.

He said he also has been up front with subcontractors on the project about its controversial nature.

The Denver protesters are being assisted by anti-abortion activist and construction industry executive Chris Danze, who led a campaign four years ago against a Planned Parenthood facility in Austin. There, threats of boycotts prompted the main contractor to quit and the job to be delayed.

Leslie Durgin, senior vice president of community development for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, said that in Austin the protests had the effect of spurring donations from supporters.

She said 94 percent of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains' clients receive services others than abortions, such as cancer screening, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, colposcopy services, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, and adoption referrals.

"Picketing and protesting contractors doesn't achieve their purpose, which is to try to stop abortion," Durgin said, adding that accurate information and access to birth control just might do that.

poppenj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5176

• December 7, 2007

  4:35 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  vbarta writes:

  Related to your article “Construction exec's home target of abortion protests” published in Rocky Mountain News” I feel that you need to be let know about something else. The Weitz executive told you that they”have been up front with subcontractors on the project about its controversial nature” which in most cases are not true.

  I was hired on October 16th to take care of this project’s safety and security. The Weitz Company never disclosed to Denver Security Services anything. We were only asked if we have a problem being involved in another construction project of which Planned Parenthood is involved. Nothing else.

  I have called the Director of Security of Planned Parenthood and he said that is Weitz Company’s fault for placing us in harm’s way by not disclosing the facts that could make a life and death difference. Weitz Company points back fingers of Planned Parenthood for their declared tactic of holding back as much info as they can.

  I have discussed with other subcontractors and none of the people I have spoke to have any knowledge of the real extent of the project and the magnitude of the controversy surrounding it.
  Once I found out about the risks they exposed my people and their families I asked to be let out of the contract immediately. They refused, so I called the Denver Police Department to tell them that within 24 hours they need to come there and protect the site because myself, my family, and my security officers’ and their families’ welfare was in danger because of lack of disclosure.

  There are essential risks that a security provider should be made aware of, things that have nothing to do with ideology.
  On Tuesday morning at 7 AM I have removed all security officers and told them to never get even closer to that place. All I can tell you is that that Doug Flemmer and Kenneth Greene of Weitz Company which are in charge with that project deliberately place many people’s lives in harm’s way for only one reason; to make as much money as they can.

  Ever since I was hired back on October 26th, Dough Flemmer repeated over and over about the so called chunk of money in his own words, salivating of the phrase. They have never pay me any money, they used close to $ 20,000 of mine to accomplish their goal and now I am begging for my money back and they are laughing at me.

  I wanted you to know that what that executive told you is a lie. If we forget about the ideological dispute, they do not even disclose material facts that a security contractor must know to make a simple risk assessment analysis. I thought you wanted to know the other side of the story.

  Thank you for your time.

  Vic Barta
  Denver Security services
  Support@DenverSecurityServices.com

• December 18, 2007

  1:06 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Wolfcartright writes:

  In response to vbarta above,
  I am suprised that Weitz would hire a security company to provide SECURTITY(sarcastic). I sure hope that Denver Security Services has since been able to find a job that does not require them to do any work (again, sarcastic). Poor Vic, all that he wants to do is collect money, and these companies expect him to do something in return. "Something" being the work that he agreed to when he signed the contract. Weitz didn't pay because Vic breached the contract that he signed. What a joke. If you need protection I would suggest finding a security company that is willing to do what they signed up to do. A fifth grader would be able to figure out that providing security for a Planned Parenthood might be a dangerous job. I wonder what grade Vic is in.

• December 19, 2007

  5:19 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  vbarta writes:

  Poor Vic has a Masters of Science in Criminal Justice; however Weitz Company did not provide anything in writing. They did pay me and for your own knowledge they are in breach of contract for failure to disclose verbally or in writing material facts. I do not blame you for being cinicak and skeptical. What Weitz company did is above and beyond human comprehension.

  I see you do not respect you, however I do respect you and I can tell you that this is NOT an ideological dispute but a professional one; one that only a professional could understand. If you want to learn more email me from my company website.

  I respect your right to be scheptical and I gave you the benefit of doubt because you do not know how Weitz Operates. If I needed their money I would have stay on; what determined me to pull out my people are material facts that will give you the chills if you could only imagine it.

  No hard feeling here dear sir or madam. Thank you for taking your time to comment on my posting; a posting which could be backed up and documented; a posting involving facts that will shoock a reasonable preson.

  Thank you.