Jennett said he has photographs of all kitchen equipment, and that he also videotaped the removal of items from the restaurant and that he plans to formally file a theft report. “I was a little surprised” that the SPPD “interpreted it as a civil action” and did not take further action, since he had the lease paperwork that detailed equipment ownership, said Jennett, an opinion shared by Barragan.“I’m still a 50 percent owner of the restaurant and legally all is owned by the corporation” that is not the property of the Jennetts, as detailed in the lease agreement, said Barragan. “Unfortunately, now we’ll have to go the legal route” to resolve the issue.The relationship with his Grove partners has “gone from bad to worse... they’ve now abandoned the restaurant and the lease.” Barragan said he would be in Santa Paula on Thursday, and that “I’m more than committed” to try to solve the situation as well as explore possibilities of reopening the restaurant, “but it’s up in the air” when the restaurant equipment would be returned to be able to do so. “I’ll see what kind of support I can get for reopening and see what my options are before I make any commitments,” he noted.“The responsibility of the police in those type of situations is only to keep the peace,” said SPPD Chief Steve MacKinnon, who said that SPPD officers responded twice to the Glen Tavern Inn. “These other matters are civil in nature and the police are only there to enforce criminal violations” of the law.“These types of disputes are akin to divorce, when both sides have disputes over property and other issues, and it’s a judge who makes these kind of determinations and not the police.” Everything shown at the Grove during the dispute was “civil in nature, and if both sides claim ownership,” even through a verbal agreement, the police are unable to act without a court order, as police do not “enforce those kinds of contracts. It comes down to the police does not have the power to enforce those kinds of things.”MacKinnon said that the SPPD is contacted “all the time” regarding tenant/landlord disputes, a “car sale that has gone sour, but it’s for the court to decide; we only respond to keep the peace.”Tuesday evening at the Grove, SPPD officers “did have to give some warnings” that, if ignored, could have led to an arrest. “But we wanted things to remain cool and calm” to avoid taking anyone into custody on criminal charges, MacKinnon noted.
Grove Restaurant abruptly closed amid dispute with Glen Tavern Inn owners
January 11, 2008
Santa Paula News
The Grove Restaurant at Glen Tavern Inn was abruptly closed Tuesday amid a dispute between the owners of the historic hotel and two of the partners in the eatery over furniture and fixtures.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe Grove Restaurant at Glen Tavern Inn was abruptly closed Tuesday amid a dispute between the owners of the historic hotel and two of the partners in the eatery over furniture and fixtures. Pamela and Steve Colvard and Eric Barragan - who subsequently arranged to sell his portion of the business to the Colvards - opened The Grove in December 2006.In January 2007, the City Council approved the Grove a $22,000 business loan from the Community Development Block Grant fund to allow the restaurant to expand hours and supply more jobs for area residents. The city’s Micro Loan Program mandates a four percent interest rate on funds lent. The North Mill Street restaurant and its annex soon became a popular place for dining, parties and fundraisers and enjoyed a reputation for excellent food, served in generous portions.A dispute between the Colvards and Inn owners Rosanna and Tom Jennett over the liquor license, held by the owners of the Inn, reportedly occurred late last year. Santa Paula Police were called to the Inn on Tuesday evening, summoned by Inn staff, who said that items being removed by the Colvards were Inn property. Barragan, who has been living in Mexico City, said he also dispatched his own legal representative.Police had been summoned to the Inn earlier in response to a report that the deadlock at the back of the restaurant had been tampered with and rendered inoperable. When it came to the removal of the furniture and some equipment used by the Grove Tuesday evening, Santa Paula Police Department officers said the issue was a civil matter, according to the Jennetts and Barragan.Barragan said that many of the items removed from the Inn are assets of the restaurant corporation, of which he remains a partner. Pam Colvard did not respond to telephone messages left asking for comment.“The lease agreement said things stay here,” and Rosanna Jennett said that tables, chairs, deep fryers and the cappuccino machine, among other items, were removed. “Everything was taken... this restaurant is not turnkey anymore,” said Jennett on Wednesday. “We’re real sad today, but we’ll get over it. We’ve gotten over so much,” including the 2005 fire that destroyed a portion of the Inn. “More than anything we wanted a good place for Santa Paula,” she noted.“We had no prior notice that they were vacating,” and Tom Jennett said that items were removed until about 4 a.m. “We had heard they were planning to leave” on January 19 from an outside source, he added, although the Colvards “had been given a three-day notice.”
