HUNTINGTON Ƶ The Cabell County Board of Education has filed a lawsuit against a travel vendor, accusing the company of keeping money paid by students for a trip to Washington, D.C., after it was canceled.
According to the lawsuit, the Board of Education accuses Eric A. Morrison and E.T. Advisor Services LLC, based in Ona, of collecting $136,500 from Barboursville and Milton middle school families for a trip set during the 2019-20 school year and not returning the funds when the trip was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the lawsuit was filed earlier, the board announced the legal action Tuesday.
Board of Education President Rhonda Smalley said while waiting for reimbursement from E.T. Advisor Services, the school district researched whether it could issue payments back to the families but found it could not legally do so.
ƵThe travel company has refused to return the funds our students and parents worked so incredibly hard to raise,Ƶ said Smalley in a news release.
ƵWhen it became obvious that the trips were not going to occur, our schools withheld a fifth installment payment families had made and were able to return those funds.Ƶ
Cabell County Schools Superintendent Ryan Saxe said roughly 150 families between the two middle schools are owed refunds.
ƵWe recognize the burden our families have had to bear because this contractor has refused to reimburse them,Ƶ Saxe said in the release. ƵOur main goal in filing the lawsuit is to assist these families now by helping them get their money back. We are compelled to help right this wrong placed upon our children and their families.Ƶ
Thomas P. Boggs, an attorney with Huntington law firm Duffield, Lovejoy and Boggs, PLLC, is representing the Board of Education in the lawsuit. Boggs will conduct an informational meeting for impacted families at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, at Cabell Midland High School.
Sarah Ingram is a reporter for The Herald-Dispatch, covering public K-12 education. Follow her on Twitter @SIngramHD.
