A construction company is suing a church for breach of contract, as well as a former sales representative, for allegedly violating an employment agreement in a dispute surrounding repairs for a storm-damaged roof.
Ryan Construction Co. filed suit on Aug. 5 in Madison County Circuit Court against Scott Underwood, Wayman African Methodist Church in Bloomington, the Rev. Charles Orr, River City Roofing Co. Inc. and Church Mutual Insurance Co.
According to the complaint, Ryan Construction and its employee Scott Underwood negotiated an insurance claim to repair Wayman African Methodist’s roof for $343,569.24 in September 2014. For reasons not stated in the suit, Underwood was subsequently terminated.
The claim states that Underwood, now working for competitor River City Roofing, approached Orr, reverand of African Methodist, to complete the repairs for less money than originally agreed to by Church Mutual so the difference could be allegedly retained by the church. As a result, Orr cancelled the original contract between the church and Ryan Construction, the suit states.
Attorney David A. Schott of the Alton firm Hoagland, Fitzgerald & Pranaitis is representing Ryan Construction in the lawsuit, which seeks damages of more than $50,000 and an injunction preventing Underwood from sharing proprietary information or approaching former clients.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-988.