State revokes Stillwater contractor's license after numerous complaints

The state has revoked the contractor license of Stillwater builder John Sharkey after numerous homeowners complained of shoddy work, ignored calls and a long list of creditors left behind by his GreenHalo Builds home building company.

The decision, signed Monday by Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach, puts an immediate stop to all Sharkey projects including a 46-home development he was pitching last month in Baytown Township that would have been his largest ever.

That deal is "pretty much dead," according to Bayport City Administrator Matt Kline, who said the land developer assisting with Sharkey's EcoHaven project on 26 acres near Barker's Alps Park confirmed the project was no longer moving forward.

The state's order specifically revoked the residential building contractor license of Sharkey Design Build, which does business as GreenHalo Builds. It also revoked Sharkey's qualifying builder registration.

According to the revocation order, Sharkey waived his right to a hearing. He was hit with a $20,000 fine but it was stayed so that any funds he has can help resolve creditors' claims, said Sean O'Neil, director of licensing and enforcement in the construction codes and licensing division of the Department of Labor and Industry.

"They are the priority and the first in line," he said.

Sharkey was not immediately available for comment.

A group of homeowners went public last week with complaints about their GreenHalo Builds houses after they received a letter from Sharkey's attorney stating that the company was likely to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection.

The homeowners said their houses were poorly built or never finished, and some spent tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars more than they anticipated while trying to finish their homes. Numerous people said Sharkey misled them about their houses, ignored their complaints or tried to convince them that obvious mistakes were not worth fixing.

Several subcontractors, meanwhile, said they were owed tens of thousands of dollars and were ignored by Sharkey or his company for months while trying to collect.

Sharkey's attorney, John Lamey, said Tuesday that their focus is on helping homeowners and that Sharkey does not expect to file for bankruptcy in the near future.