Rubidoux v. Northeastern Illinois Universities

51 Ill. Ct. Cl. 275, 1998 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 82
CourtCourt of Claims of Illinois
DecidedOctober 15, 1998
DocketNo. 94-CC-0472
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 51 Ill. Ct. Cl. 275 (Rubidoux v. Northeastern Illinois Universities) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Claims of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rubidoux v. Northeastern Illinois Universities, 51 Ill. Ct. Cl. 275, 1998 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 82 (Ill. Super. Ct. 1998).

Opinion

OPINION

Epstein, J.

This claim for $113,927.12 for unpaid rent and consequential damages arises out of the Claimants’ rental of apartments in their building, located at 4900 N. St. Louis Avenue, as a student residence for student-athletes of the respondent Northeastern Illinois University (the “University”) in the 1990-91 academic year under a letter agreement with the university’s Director of Athletics, Intramurals & Recreation.

The case was tried to Commissioner J. Patrick Hanley, who has filed his report to this Court. The case is before us on the second amended complaint, the trial record, the parties’ post-trial briefs, and Commissioner Hanley’s report. The exhaustion of alternative remedies issue, which was reserved when we denied without prejudice Respondent’s motion to dismiss for failure to exhaust, is also before us. The full Court heard oral argument on the merits, and we now render our decision.

Nature of the Claim

The second amended complaint is in three counts: count I asserts a breach of contract claim, based on the August 1, 1990 letter agreement signed by Claimant Sasak and by Director Dennis Keihn; count II asserts an “implied contract” claim, based on the parties’ alleged intent, the apparent authority of Director Keihn, and the parties’ course of conduct; count III asserts a misrepresentation claim, based on the University’s alleged misrepresentations of its intent to use the Claimant’s building, its commitment to the agreement with Director Keihn, and its ability to pay the unpaid back rents on apartments rented to University students.

Claimants seek $40,668.75 in unpaid rents for 1991-92, $20,167.69 in unpaid rents for 1990-91, and $16,438.03 for damage to the premises caused by the resident student athletes, plus interest at 9 percent.

The Facts

At the trial, each side presented three witnesses: Thomas Rubidoux, Wayne E. Silverman and Richard Sasak for the Claimant; and Thomas Rubidoux, Rees Johnson, the head mens basketball coach at the university, and Richard Knar, Jr., an assistant mens basketball coach at the university for the Respondent. The testimony of two witnesses, Dennis Keihn and Peter Wolstein was given by their evidence depositions. Claimants eight exhibits and Respondents seven exhibits were all admitted into evidence.

Testimony of Thomas Rubidoux

Mr. Rubidoux, one of the Claimants, testified that he and his partner Richard Sasak, owned a 31-unit apartment building at 4900 to 4908 North St. Louis, in Chicago, which they purchased in 1988; all units were occupied. He was approached by Mike Fogel, an employee of the university and the womens basketball coach, who asked whether Claimants would be interested in housing student athletes from the university. Fogel told Claimants in June, 1990 that Dr. Dennis Keihn, the university athletic director, had authority to move students in and to sign agreements. Claimants told Fogel that they were not interested in having young students in the building. About a week later, Dr. Keihn called Rubidoux and requested a meeting. Rubidoux and Sasak met with Keihn one week later. Keihn said that the university wanted to find housing for its student athletes but emphasized the men basketball players.

Claimants told Dr. Keihn that they were reluctant for a variety of reasons, one being that the building was then full. Dr. Keihn told them that the university would be responsible for handling the rents and making sure there was no destruction to the building. Dr. Keihn told them he had the authority to pursue contracts and had funds available to him.

Mr. Sasak wrote a letter to Dr. Keihn. (Claimants’ exhibit no. 1.) After that letter, Dr. Keihn met with the Claimants a second time. Dr. Keihn told Claimants that the university would be responsible for rent and damages. After this second meeting, Dr. Keihn faxed a July 16, 1990, letter to them. [Claimants’ exhibit no. 2.] Both parties were then looking for a multiple year commitment. Dr. Keihn told Claimants that he had talked to the university president.

Dr. Keihn and Claimants had a third meeting. Claimants were concerned about the apartments during the summer months; it was decided that 12 months of rent would be paid over nine months and the university would be free to use the apartments during the summer months. Coach Rees Johnson attended the third meeting. Although Dr. Keihn had earlier indicated that the university would pay Claimants directly, he told them this would not be possible for the first year because all budgets had already been established. He asked that Claimants accept the rent money from the students or the coaches for the first year.

After the third meeting, Dr. Keihn faxed an August 1, 1990, letter to Claimants. (Claimants’ exhibit no. 3.) Rubidoux understood the language of the letter to mean that, in the first year, the university could not pay them directly and they would be paid through the students and coaches. The university was given keys to the apartments. Claimants did not have control over the decision of which students occupied which apartments. A fax from Coach Knar was sent to Claimants to show which students were to be in each apartment. (Claimants’ exhibit no. 4.) Eight apartments were made available for students.

Rubidoux had no doubt that Claimants’ agreement was with the university. Dr. Keihn told Claimants that the university guaranteed the payments. Claimants received money from university employees on three occasions. No one ever told them that they did not have a contract with the university.

In October, Rubidoux called Dr. Keihn to tell him they were not getting paid. Dr. Keihn told him to get leases signed. Dr. Keihn told him that he would make sure Claimants were paid. Subsequent to the telephone call to Dr. Keihn, Rubidoux sent a letter dated October 23, 1990, to Dr. Keihn. Subsequent to that letter, Keihn said Claimants would receive some money in the next week or so. They received a payment of $3,000 to $3,500 through Coach Johnson at the building the first week of November.

Claimants did not get any leases signed. The rent arrearage continued. Dr. Keihn told Claimants that by the end of January he would pay for all back rents and would pay for the rest of the year for these students. In January, Dr. Keihn said it would take 30 to 45 days to get Claimants paid. In February, Rubidoux had several conversations with Dr. Keihn. In March, Rubidoux told Dr. Keihn that between $10,000 to $12,000 was due. Keihn said that was not a problem, and told Rubidoux to meet Coach Johnson.

Claimants met with Coach Johnson in the first week of March. Johnson told them he was giving them $3,000 to $3,500, not the $10,000 to $12,000 owed. Rubidoux was “shocked” and “furious,” and testified that Coach Johnson indicated that he thought that maybe we had been taken a little bit.” According to Rubidoux, Johnson explained that he had found in his dealings that Dr. Keihn had not always been truthful or forthcoming.

Claimants called Dr. Keihn who invited them to his office. At this meeting, Claimants were told that the money was forthcoming. They never received it. However, Claimants received rent money from individual students, and had a manager who sometimes collected rent from the students.

Dr.

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Bluebook (online)
51 Ill. Ct. Cl. 275, 1998 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 82, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rubidoux-v-northeastern-illinois-universities-ilclaimsct-1998.