A lawsuit alleges that a well-known civic organization has defaulted on a loan from the mother of its former director.
The lawsuit filed by Patricia Miller alleges that the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce borrowed $40,000 to pay a local business for a heating and cooling system at the chamber’s fairgrounds on North U.S.63.
According to court documents, the plaintiff alleges:
•On or about Oct. 27, 2021, Miller and the chamber through its then president, Bobby Dixon, entered into a written agreement.
•On Oct. 27, 2021, Miller wrote a $40,000 check with a memo line on the check detailing “loan to chamber.” The chamber deposited it the same day.
•On Oct. 29, 2021, the chamber used $36,000 of the $40,000 funds to pay for the heating and cooling work.
•The $40,000 from Miller was to pay for the HVAC work. The funds were to be paid in full to Miller by Jan. 15, 2022. If the chamber received an insurance check from Star Insurance before Jan. 15, that sum would be paid to Miller and then the remainder would be due in full on Jan. 15, 2022.
•If for some reason the chamber did not receive the funding to pay the loan back in full, than a $350 payment would be due to Miller starting on Jan. 16, 2022, and continue each month thereafter until paid in full.
Miller has not been paid anything, the suit alleges. Her daughter, Angie Quinlan, was the director of the chamber from August 2016 to June 2022 before stepping down. AC units were taken from the community building in May 2021 and required replacement. The lawsuit seeks a jury trial.