MONROE - The Messiah Missionary Baptist Church claims it doesn't have to pay out in a contract worth more than $1.5 million to various disaster recovery companies hired after Hurricane Laura in an April 7 federal court complaint.
According to the complaint filed in Monroe by the plaintiff church located in Calcasieu Parish, defendant ServiceMaster Restoration-Howard was contracted by the plaintiff to perform disaster restoration services in September of 2020 that totaled $1,515,300.68 in proposed repairs.
However, the church says that the defendant did not get the appropriate authorization from the church's executives, making the contract unenforceable, and further accuses the defendant of making the services and prices outlined in the contract unclear.
An advisory audit ordered by the church's insurer rejected over $1 million of the charges, leaving approximately $460,000 for the church to pay; the audit alleged that the defendant overcharged for generators, scissor lifts, air filtration devices and dehumidifiers that were not used.
The defendants are accused of negligence and violation of the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act; the plaintiff requests defendant Recovery Solutions Group LLC, a debt collector, cease all debt collection efforts in the matter.
The church is represented by Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements and Shaddock LLP of Lake Charles.