Former employees accuse Ebenal of charging personal costs to city museum job

The former project manager on the Whatcom Museum's Lightcatcher building has accused his former boss, David Ebenal, of charging more than $160,000 worth of construction materials used on Ebenal's own home and cabin to the city's project.

The accusations surfaced in a lawsuit filed in Whatcom County District Court in May 2010. Plaintiff Chris Barnes has been attempting to force Ebenal and his firm, Ebenal General Inc., to pay him about $33,000 in accrued vacation time and medical benefits he said he was owed after 11 years at the firm.