There has been no decision yet by a small claims judge who heard a case this week between a former mayor of Redding and the director of the Northern California Veterans Museum over funds from a gun show, which both sides say they were entitled to.
Former Mayor Patrick Jones says he was asked by Rob Burroughs, director of the museum, to help him promote the gun show in early March. According to Burroughs, the show netted about $14,000 in gate fees that he intended to put toward newly purchased museum property in Anderson. But Jones says he had a verbal agreement with Burroughs to split the proceeds 50/50 with his half going toward a new gun range that he is building east of Redding.
“As we finished up the show, unfortunately no split of any funds occurred and obviously I felt that was wrong, and I’m not sure what the problem would be and why that agreement was not honored and I have appealed to Mr. Burroughs that the split was an even split and we agreed on that prior,” Jones said.
Burroughs claims there never was such an agreement, and even if there had been his board of directors would have had to make that decision. He alleges that Jones never went to the board prior to the gun show to ask for half of the proceeds. And he says when Jones did approach the board a few weeks later, he was told to give an accounting of what he had spent promoting the show, and then the board would consider a payment.
“He has never submitted a bill or receipt for items that he had done,” Burroughs said. “There is not even a piece of paper for services rendered. He basically just showed up and said that I owe him a check for $7,000, which was half the gate.”
Board minutes from the March 18 meeting show that the board offered to pay Jones 50 percent after the accounting was complete. The minutes say Jones did submit documents, but the board found them insufficient, and a letter was sent to Jones stating that they would no longer consider payment.
The case, which the judge heard on Monday, was against Burroughs personally, and not the museum itself. Jones is asking for $7,000.
There are still criminal cases pending that Burroughs filed against Jones with the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office, the Redding Police Department, and the State Attorney General. The complaints allege that Jones has misappropriated funds that were meant for the museum in the amount of over $8,000. The judge is scheduled to make a ruling on the small claims case by the end of the month.