Two lawsuits filed earlier this year against meeting halls run by Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade over unpaid bills have been dismissed.
Food distribution company Shamrock Foods filed lawsuits against the Wild Goose Meeting House and the Good Neighbors Meeting House, as well as Mobolade and his business partner Russell Ware. Shamrock Foods’ lawsuit claimed Mobolade and Ware owed nearly $100,000 between the two restaurants for food they agreed to buy in 2018 but never paid for.
An El Paso County District Court judge dismissed the case against Good Neighbors on November 6. The case involving Wild Goose was dismissed on November 18.
Both restaurants were operated by Mobolade before he became mayor. Mobolade is no longer involved in the businesses due to city charter rules prohibiting the mayor from holding other paid positions.
Mobolade filed cross-complaints against Ware in district court in both cases, claiming that Ware had “engaged in a scheme of fraud and deception (by) stealing funds from the business(es)” and was responsible for the unpaid orders.
In court filings in October, the attorney representing Mobolade and the restaurants said his clients and Shamrock Foods had “resolved their claims” in both cases. The court filing indicated they were not seeking to file additional claims against Ware.
Lawyers for Shamrock Foods separately decided in November to dismiss the cases without prejudice. Court filings indicate each party agreed to pay their own attorney fees.
The law firms involved in the case declined to comment on the firing this week.
District Court Judge Gregory Werner entered a default judgment against Ware in May regarding unpaid fees at Good Neighbors Meeting House. The judge ordered Ware to pay the approximately $68,000 owed plus an additional $19,400 in interest on the original amount and Shamrock’s attorney fees.
Ware responded to the lawsuit the next day. In his filing, Ware said he had not been involved in either venture since the summer of 2022 and was unable to afford an attorney.
Judge David Prince did not issue a default judgment in the Wild Goose Meeting House case because Ware filed a “relatively prompt” response to the initial complaint.
Ware could not be reached for comment on the status of the default judgment order.
The Wild Goose Meeting House closed in September after operating downtown for more than 10 years. The Good Neighbors Meeting House is still operating.