Valley Church Open For Services, Facing Lawsuit

It’s hard to miss the striking Glory To God Ministries building on East Palm Canyon.

It just opened for services last weekend. But those who helped build the facility are not celebrating.

“They’re using the facility and we still haven’t been paid. Pay me, that’s all. I just want to get paid,” said Dexter Barr, co-owner of Polar Barr Air Conditioning in Palm Desert.

Barr says his company finished their work on the project on-time and on-budget. But he’s still owed more than $90,000. Money he says he should have been paid months ago.

“They were the ones who asked for all the extras. If they didn’t have the money they shouldn’t have asked for it,” said Barr.

Barr is just one of 40 subcontractors who worked under ORR Builders out of Palm Desert.

ORR filed a lawsuit, claiming the church owes more than $1.5 million — more than half of what it cost to build the church.

“It’s killing these contractors not being paid,” said Robert Gilliland, Jr., the attorney representing ORR Builders.

Gilliland said back in August, payments to contractors stopped, but the work continued.

“Yet they continued in good faith to complete the church on the promise payment would be forthcoming.”

News Channel 3 has tried to contact Pastor Randy Brodhagen for his reaction to the lawsuit. But calls to the church have not been returned.

“It’s heartbreaking. If you can’t trust a church, who can you trust?” asked Barr.