The Agoura/Oak Park/Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce has severed ties with the city of Calabasas and announced it will be filing a lawsuit against the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce in a dispute over name restrictions.

The Agoura group recently began calling itself the Agoura/Oak Park/Conejo Valley/Calabasas Chamber of Commerce. President Louis Masry said his organization filed paperwork with the state to make the name change official.

“We have the right to do that,” Masry said

But shortly after the change, Calabasas Chamber attorney Howard Sommers sent a letter to Alex Soteras, the Agoura Chamber’s vice president, informing him that the Calabasas Chamber name is registered with the state’s trademark department and has been in use for more than 50 years.

“The Calabasas Chamber of Commerce has trademark rights,” Sommers said. “‘Calabasas’ can’t be in the end, middle or beginning of the name. There’s a limited area here where we’ve developed a reputation and a name for ourselves.”

Calabasas Chamber President Carol Washburn said by using “Calabasas” in its name, the other Chamber causes confusion among local businesses.

“We are genuinely just wondering why they’re taking on our name,” Washburn said. “It causes conflict between Chambers and it makes it very uncomfortable for businesses to not know who they’re doing business with.

“It’s disruptive,” Washburn said. “It’s not about getting into name calling or anything like that. It’s a matter of, ‘Gee, this is who we are.’ Why use the name of another Chamber?”

After consulting with his attorney, Masry said the Agoura group has begun preparation of a lawsuit against the Calabasas Chamber for defamation, slander and intentional interference of business practices.

“They have been frankly defaming us among our own board members as well as some businesses and vendors we do business with, claiming we are in some sort of violation because we are using ‘Calabasas,’” Masry said.

“They’re infringing on our business,” he said.

News of the lawsuit rankled Mayor Barry Groveman.

“I don’t like public bickering,” Groveman said. “I’d like to try to mediate in some way. I understand competition. But I believe in uniting parties.”

Groveman and the City Council have sponsored both Chambers of Commerce with annual contributions—$12,000 for the Calabasas Chamber and $5,000 for the Agoura/Oak Park/Conejo Valley Chamber.

The Calabasas Chamber still has an agreement with the city and will be given its money in quarterly payments throughout the year.

Although the city’s agreement with the Agoura/Oak Park/ Conejo Valley group has been terminated, Masry said his Chamber is still eligible to receive separate grants.

“It just came down to the fact that our Cchamber was really having our hands tied by the agreement,” Masry said. “We had to get approval for everything we did, including using the city of Calabasas’ name, which we shouldn’t have to do. We just had to go through too many hoops, and it was interfering with our business in Calabasas.

“They only paid us $5,000 a year, so that didn’t make a lot of sense,” Masry said.

The city did not end the agreement for any “alleged violations,” City Manager Tony Coroalles said. He said the Agoura Chamber “walked out on their sponsorship agreement.”

At a City Council meeting last December, when a supposed breach of contract was discussed, then-mayor Jonathon Wolfson recommended a “different type of funding formula” in which Chambers could apply for specific grants.

“I’m frustrated about what’s gone on this year,” Wolfson said. “The Calabasas Chamber has done a lot of good things for the city and they’ve been around a long time. The other has done some good things for the city, too.”

Groveman said the grant money might not be easy to obtain.

“We run a tight ship,” he said. “It’s a privilege when we give out money. We give it out with strings. They didn’t like the conditions, and that’s fine. I don’t blame anybody for feeling it wasn’t worth it, but no one can blame the city for being tight fisted.”

Coroalles said grants will be offered to both Chambers on a project-by-project basis at the discretion of the City Council.

Masry said he will be applying for the grants “to help the business community in Calabasas.”

Councilmember Mary Sue Maurer sides with the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce.

“I’ve been extremely pleased with all of (their) activities,” Maurer said. “They have a long proven record for decades of helping Calabasas businesses.

“At this time, when so many businesses are struggling, we need a business organization that works to build all businesses in a positive and cooperative manner, and not one that has a long history of controversy.”

The Agoura/Oak Park/ Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce, which has headquarters in Agoura Hills, has been operating for nearly 40 years. The Calabasas Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year.

“They have to learn to work together,” Groveman said.

The city of Agoura Hills recently severed ties with the Agoura Chamber in a separate dispute and then joined the newly named Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce, formerly the Thousand Oaks/ Westlake Village Chamber.