CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The City of Charleston is threatening to take legal action against a Cross Lanes marketing firm that owes $9,625 for a women's exposition held at the Charleston Civic Center in May.

Comar Inc., whose top executive was criminally charged with misusing federal grant money earlier this week, ran up the expenses after renting space and equipment during its inaugural "Wild Wonderful Women's Weekend."

The two-day event featured a chocolate fountain with strawberries, free manicures and pedicures, belly dancing, a wine tasting, and the crowning of a "Miss Metro."

The City of Charleston has sent three written notices to Comar, trying to collect the money, but has not heard back from company officials, according to letters obtained by the Gazette.

"The taxpayers shouldn't be stuck with this bill," said Charleston Mayor Danny Jones. "We intend to collect. The Civic Center is subsidized by the city, and it needs all the operating capital it can get."

The Office of the City Attorney has given Comar until Nov. 20 to pay the $9,625 bill, or "the City will use the legal means available to it to collect this debt," Assistant City Attorney Mandi Kay Carter wrote to Comar CEO Albert Hendershot on Oct. 19.

Earlier this week, Hendershot became the fourth person charged with fraudulently diverting employee training grant money administered by the state Workforce West Virginia agency.

The federal charge alleges Hendershot allowed $5,000 from a $100,000 grant to benefit someone who performed no work under the grant contract.

Comar's former chief technical officer, Martin Bowling, pleaded guilty in August to diverting grant funds to his girlfriend. Two other state officials also face charges. They include Bowling's mother, a former Workforce West Virginia grants manager who resigned amid the scandal.

The Charleston Convention & Visitor's Bureau subsidized Comar's women's expo, spending $1,000 to help lower the publishing firm's bill. The subsidies are used to attract business at the Civic Center. Comar's MetroValley magazine sponsored the event.

Speakers included Dr. Alex DeSouza, a plastic surgeon who talked about the "Secrets on Non-Invasive Anti-aging Techniques," according to an event agenda. Dr. Jan Cunningham, who runs the Cunningham Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Institute in Charleston, gave a presentation called "Beyond Gynecology." 

Comar's bill included $2,400 to rent two halls and several parlors at the Civic Center. Tables and electrical connections cost about $4,000. The company also was charged $1,000 for services provided by technicians at the facility.

Admission to the expo was $7.50. Comar expected up to 10,000 people to attend.

According to a press release, Comar donated a portion of the event's proceeds to the American Heart Association's Red Dress Society and to Sojourner House, a Charleston organization that serves the homeless.

Comar Inc., whose top executive was criminally charged with misusing federal grant money earlier this week, ran up the expenses after renting space and equipment during its inaugural "Wild Wonderful Women's Weekend."

The two-day event featured a chocolate fountain with strawberries, free manicures and pedicures, belly dancing, a wine tasting, and the crowning of a "Miss Metro."

The City of Charleston has sent three written notices to Comar, trying to collect the money, but has not heard back from company officials, according to letters obtained by the Gazette.

"The taxpayers shouldn't be stuck with this bill," said Charleston Mayor Danny Jones. "We intend to collect. The Civic Center is subsidized by the city, and it needs all the operating capital it can get."

The Office of the City Attorney has given Comar until Nov. 20 to pay the $9,625 bill, or "the City will use the legal means available to it to collect this debt," Assistant City Attorney Mandi Kay Carter wrote to Comar CEO Albert Hendershot on Oct. 19.

Earlier this week, Hendershot became the fourth person charged with fraudulently diverting employee training grant money administered by the state Workforce West Virginia agency.

The federal charge alleges Hendershot allowed $5,000 from a $100,000 grant to benefit someone who performed no work under the grant contract.

Comar's former chief technical officer, Martin Bowling, pleaded guilty in August to diverting grant funds to his girlfriend. Two other state officials also face charges. They include Bowling's mother, a former Workforce West Virginia grants manager who resigned amid the scandal.

The Charleston Convention & Visitor's Bureau subsidized Comar's women's expo, spending $1,000 to help lower the publishing firm's bill. The subsidies are used to attract business at the Civic Center. Comar's MetroValley magazine sponsored the event.

Speakers included Dr. Alex DeSouza, a plastic surgeon who talked about the "Secrets on Non-Invasive Anti-aging Techniques," according to an event agenda. Dr. Jan Cunningham, who runs the Cunningham Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Institute in Charleston, gave a presentation called "Beyond Gynecology." 

Comar's bill included $2,400 to rent two halls and several parlors at the Civic Center. Tables and electrical connections cost about $4,000. The company also was charged $1,000 for services provided by technicians at the facility.

Admission to the expo was $7.50. Comar expected up to 10,000 people to attend.

According to a press release, Comar donated a portion of the event's proceeds to the American Heart Association's Red Dress Society and to Sojourner House, a Charleston organization that serves the homeless.

Comar published West Virginia Executive magazine from 1998 to November 2008, when the company sold the publication to a group of former employees. 

The FBI and state Legislature's Commission on Special Investigations has been investigating Comar and Workforce West Virginia since March.

Last summer, Workforce West Virginia directed Comar to return a portion of the $100,000 grant.

Earlier this year, the agency also withdrew an application for a separate $1 million federal grant the agency had sought for Comar in the wake of a series of Charleston Gazette reports about misconduct at Comar and Workforce West Virginia. 

Comar's office phone number has been disconnected. Hendershot has referred questions to his lawyer, Bob Martin, who could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Reach Eric Eyre at erice...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-4869.