DISPUTE OVER UNPAID LANDSCAPING WORK LEADS TO POLICE INVOLVEMENT

HILLSIDE, New York — A routine landscaping job turned into a police matter Tuesday afternoon after a homeowner and contractor became embroiled in a payment dispute that neither party was willing to resolve on their own.

Officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Maple Crest Drive around 2:40 p.m. after Daniel Rourke, owner of Rourke Outdoor Services, reported that a client had “refused to pay for completed work” and was “attempting to avoid further communication.”

Rourke told police he had spent most of the morning installing decorative stone edging along the property line of Linda Carver, 58, who had hired him last week. According to Rourke, the job matched the written estimate and materials list provided to Carver.

Carver disputed that claim, telling officers the stones used were “not the color agreed upon” and that the edging was “uneven in several places.” She said she contacted Rourke immediately after noticing the issues, but alleged he “packed up and left without addressing anything.”

Rourke denied leaving abruptly, stating he had informed Carver he needed to pick up additional supplies and intended to return later in the day. “She told me not to come back until she decided what she wanted,” Rourke said. “Then she blocked my number.”

Police noted that the edging appeared recently installed but did not comment on its quality. Officers advised both parties that the matter was civil and would need to be handled through negotiation or small‑claims court.

Carver told officers she would “not pay a dollar” until the work was corrected. Rourke said he would “make adjustments if she unblocks my number and lets me back on the property,” but insisted he expected payment for the labor already performed.

No citations were issued, and police say the case will remain closed unless either party files additional documentation.

Residents on Maple Crest Drive reported seeing the officers but said the situation appeared calm. One neighbor, who declined to be named, said, “It looked like a contractor and a homeowner arguing about rocks. That’s about it.”