COSTA MESA : City, Amburgey Sued for $1 Million

The former concessions manager at the Costa Mesa Golf Course filed a $1 million wrongful-termination lawsuit Thursday against Councilman Orville Amburgey and the city.

The complaint, filed in Orange County Superior Court, alleged that Amburgey was behind the effort to have Tim Green fired by his own father from the golf course job during a tangled business dispute.

In the lawsuit, Green accused Amburgey of having the computer links between the city manager’s office and the Police Department monitored in order to learn results of police investigations into Green’s activities.

“That’s asinine,” Amburgey said Thursday. “It’s unbelievable.”

The lawsuit offered no exhibits, affidavits or other statements in support of the allegation.

Amburgey, who laughed when first told of the lawsuit, said he suspected it was filed to hurt his Nov. 6 reelection chances. He said the timing may give him ammunition to file a counterclaim if he loses the election.

“I think there’s no question about the purpose of it,” Amburgey said of the lawsuit. “There’s absolutely no basis for it.”

The plaintiff, Tim Green, was employed by his father’s business, Harry S. Green Inc., for 17 years, working his way up from golf ball washer to executive vice president when he was terminated.

Green alleges that Amburgey forced his father to fire him.

John Shaw, Green’s attorney, acknowledged that the lawsuit was filed, at least in part, for political reasons. But he said the lawsuit was filed now because he waited until the city cleared up a dispute with Harry S. Green on maintenance work at the golf course.

“Obviously I can’t deny that we think that Mr. Amburgey has demonstrated on numerous occasions that he is not fit to be a councilman,” Shaw said. “And I can’t deny that there are political implications and reasons for this.”

Green named as defendants Amburgey, Catherine Hall-Shipley, who operates Orange Coast Catering at the golf course, Robert Shipley, the golf course superintendent, and the city of Costa Mesa.

The dispute began almost two years ago when Harry and Tim Green wanted to take over the golf course’s coffee shop, catering services and refreshment stand. Harry Green had subcontracted with Catherine Hall-Shipley for those services for 11 years. When she refused to leave, Harry and Tim Green filed a lawsuit to have her removed.

Shortly thereafter, according to Tim Green’s lawsuit, Amburgey, Hall and Shipley “conspired” to have him removed from his position by making false accusations about him, including allegations of cocaine trafficking at the golf course and misuse of Harbor Area Baseball League funds to pay for computer work at his father’s business.

In January, the City Council ordered the city manager to warn Harry Green by letter that his business could be found in violation of its contract with the city if he didn’t address their concerns, including money owed to the city, an unauthorized showing of the Sugar Ray Leonard-Thomas Hearns boxing match, and Tim Green’s alleged failure to lock the Country Club’s doors after closing.

Harry Green fired his son Jan. 29, after receiving the city’s letter.

Amburgey was the only council member to vote against sending the letter.

“I voted against it only because I didn’t think it was severe enough to clear up the problems.”