Opinion ID: 2072758
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Lien of Minnesota Valley Surfacing Company

Text: Minnesota Valley was under contract with First Minnesota to perform blacktopping for the apartment project. Its lien is for extra materials necessitated by the removal of wet, unstable soil from the project site by First Minnesota, a condition not foreseen by Minnesota Valley in preparing its bid. No written authorization of payment for the extra materials was offered at trial by Minnesota Valley. The contract between Minnesota Valley and First Minnesota states in Subsection XIII that no extra work shall be allowed or changes made by the Sub-Contractor, or paid for by the Contractor UNLESS AND UNTIL AUTHORIZED BY THE CONTRACTOR OR HIS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE IN WRITING BEFORE THE WORK AND/OR CHANGES ARE BEGUN. In Minnesota, as in most jurisdictions, the rule is that while extrinsic evidence may be admissible to clarify ambiguous terms in a written contract, it is not admissible to vary terms whose meaning is plain. In re Trust Known as Great Northern Iron Ore Properties, Minn., 243 N.W.2d 302 (1976). Further, the terms of a written agreement can only be altered by parol evidence which is clear and convincing. Wertheimer v. Byrd, 278 Minn. 150, 153 N.W.2d 252 (1967). In this case neither condition is satisfied. The contract provision requiring written change orders is unambiguousin fact, it is the only capitalized subsection of the entire contract. The only testimony tending to establish oral authorization for the work is that of Stuart Dittbrenner, office manager of Minnesota Valley. His testimony on this issue cannot be read as clear and convincing. Hence, there is insufficient evidence supporting the trial court's finding of a lien in favor of Minnesota Valley, and the trial court must be reversed.