Wilkinsburg church says it paid for renovations it never got
A Wilkinsburg church paid for renovations that they say never happened. They are now fighting to get their thousands of dollars back.
Pastor Jerome Hurst started at the Ethnan Temple in 2020 and noticed it was time for some upgrades and it quickly became a full-blown renovation.
"As we did different things, it just kept being 'We can't leave this. We have to do this.' And finally it came to the point that, 'man, let's look at the carpet, let's replace the carpet," Pastor Hurst said.
The church got bids and went with Bill Schrecengost of Bill Schrec's Flooring in Cranberry at the recommendation of a member. According to Hurst, he came out and gave them an estimate and everything seemed to be on the right path. Then came delays because of COVID's impact on supplies and then their first deadline passed.
Hurst reached out to Schrecengost. He told them he was in a truck accident and there would be delays in January of 2023. Then their next deadline passed and there was still no work.
"This all started in 2021. We're in 2025 and we have no carpet and we are out of $8,000," Hurst said.
Schrecengost told the pastor he got hurt after falling off a ladder. Hurst understands accidents happen, but after four years, he just wants his money back.
"Not a lot of money in the scope of the whole project but also it's not a little bit of money," Hurst told KDKA inside his Wilkinsburg church.
In texts, Hurst sometimes gets replies. Other times nothing at all. Just this month, he asked for his money back again.
"That's when it just goes ghost. We don't hear anything back," Hurst said.
KDKA-TV got ahold of Schrecengost, who said his health has not been doing well and he will refund the church in 30 to 90 days. Pastor Hurst said it's the first he's hearing of any refund.
"There's always a promise and then a disappearance. That's what disappoints," Hurst said.
Pastor Hurst says they have reached out to the state attorney general's office to look at their options.
