Aurora Country Club tees off on alderman

Aurora's Fourth Ward Alderman Rick Lawrence was one of several people sued in small claims court earlier this month by Aurora Country Club.

The suit, filed Oct. 6., claims Lawrence owes the club $3,477 for "membership fees, food, merchandise, golf fees and miscellaneous charges incurred while a member of the Aurora Country Club."

The complaint states "that the plaintiff has demanded payment of said sum; that the defendant refused to pay the same and no part thereof has been paid."

Lawrence on Thursday refuted every claim in the suit, especially regarding the golf fees.

"I ain't giving them a dime," he said.

Lawrence said his family maintained an annual pool and tennis membership - at a cost of about $10,000 - so his daughters could swim close to home.

Not a golfer, Lawrence says he's "never even played the course."

He said he believes the lawsuit can be traced to about 9:30 p.m. Jan. 31 when he, his wife, and their two daughters had just finished dinner at the club with another couple and their two children.

As the adults were wrapping up the night and saying their goodbyes, the children were laughing and carrying on "like young girls do," he said.

"Out of nowhere, this belligerent slob of a guy, who I don't even know, came from the bar area yelling 'Shut the (expletive) up. You don't belong here,' to the four girls," Lawrence said. "Stunned, I jumped up to see what was going on and all the guy wanted to do was fight and take me outside."

When the manager refused to intervene, Lawrence said he canceled his membership, telling the manager "we're done" and never stepped foot back in the club.

"I couldn't get my daughters back in there if I had to," he said.

On Feb. 26, Lawrence said he received and paid a bill for $1,014, which he said covered his balance in full through the night of the incident. He has continued to receive quarterly bills but has ignored them.

Phone calls and e-mails placed to club manager Robert White, membership director Gayle Maple and the club's attorney, Jay Wyeth, were not returned Thursday.

The case is set for a hearing at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 10 in small claims court in Kane County, but Lawrence said he hopes to resolve the issue privately before then.