Homestead Suing "Downtown Annapolis"

From the Capital Gazette:

Brian Riddle, owner of Homestead Gardens

Homestead Gardens, owned by Brian Riddle, is demanding payment of the remaining cost of the contract it agreed to with the Downtown Annapolis Partnership three years ago to provide hundreds of flowers, planters and hanging baskets for the Annapolis Hanging Flower Basket program. Homestead Gardens in a second count is claiming that Downtown Annapolis Partnership unjustly enriched itself and is demanding an additional $30,000.

According to the complaint filed on May 14, Homestead Gardens agreed to provide 132 hanging baskets, 58 flower pots and maintenance and watering from May to September for $34,369, a 36% discount of the actual cost of those goods and the 485 hours of maintenance and watering it takes to keep the flowers in good shape.

In exchange, the business organization agreed to pay invoices for the goods and services as they were received, according to the complaint.

The Annapolis Downtown Partnership paid about $20,000 of the $34,369 that was owed under the contract before payments ceased after Sept. 29, 2018, according to the complaint.

Erik Evans, the partnership’s director, declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was first reported by Eye on Annapolis.

A hearing has been scheduled for July 20.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to work out our differences in this fashion,” Riddle said in an interview Tuesday. “We’ve been providing that program at no profit for over 20 years and so we’re happy to support our city. I’m happy to help with beautification efforts wherever we can and by no means does our disagreement with the Downtown Annapolis Partnership reflect on our willingness or desire to support the city of Annapolis and her residents.”