2008 LETTER FROM MIS TO DISTRICT: REQUEST TO BUY PRESCOTT SCHOOL

This was typed by Prescott School Missoula (actually this task was delegated to a family member) from an original MIS letter to the district.                                                                                                         



                                                                                                                   1100 Harrison Street
                                                                                                                    Missoula, MT 59802

                                                                                                                   phone: 406.542.9924
                                                                                                                   fax: 406.542.5185
                                                                                                                   email: office@mismt.org

                                                                                                                                    

May 1, 2008

Mr. Drake Lemm

Chair, Finance & Operations Committee
P.O. Box 56
Lolo, MT 59847

 Dear Mr. Lemm:

 RE: Prescott School Lease

 We at the Missoula International School are grateful to have leased the Prescott School Building for the last three years from MCPS. We continue to trust that this is a mutually beneficial arrangement.

 As the termination of our lease draws near, however, we find ourselves confronted with questions about the future of our school and its location. We believe MIS has been an excellent steward of the Prescott School building and property, and we are committed to preserving the site’s historical position in our community as an educational institution, neighborhood play area, and public meeting facility.

 We respectfully request that the MCPS board extend our lease of the Prescott School building. We are, of course, aware that the terms of the lease may need to be revisited based on appraisals conducted in connection with the possible sale of the building. And, should MCPS decide to offer the site for sale, we have every intention of participating in the bidding process as aggressively as we are able.

 

We now have a student body comprised of over one- hundred-twenty students. To achieve some sense of security and certainty in terms of the near future, we would like to extend our lease for another 3-5 years, hoping to eventually purchase the site that has become home to our school .We would appreciate knowing the status of our lease as soon, so that in the event we need to make a change we have as much time as possible.

 On behalf of the student, parents, faculty, and Board of Trustees at the Missoula International School, I thank you for your consideration. We look forward to continuing to work together with you, each to the benefit of the other.

 

Sincerely,

 

Douglas Webber
President, MIS Board of Trustees

 CC. Dr. Jim Clark

 MCPS Board of Trustees




Comments by Prescott School Missoula

First, Missoula International School HAS NOT been a good steward of the Prescott School property. If ones drives by Prescott School you will notice that the entire hill behind Prescott is dried up and infested with knapweed.  psm believes that MIS has NEVER watered this hill.  In addition, there are many spots with NO LAWN where there was lawn prior to 2004, the year MIS first leased Prescott School.  There are other egregious instances of negligence in the care of Prescott School by MIS. (See older blog post (5-27-12) for a YouTube video on this Breach of Contract.)

Secondly, it appears from reading this letter that MIS is not satisfied just receiving a sweetheart lease from the MCPS district, but also wishes to take advantage of Missoula taxpayers and Rattlesnake residents by entering into a PERMANENT arrangement, that is MIS wishes to BUY Prescott. 

The desire of MIS to PURCHASE Prescott School is not new.  In 2005, only months after resigning from the MCPS Board of Trustees and being hired by MIS as executive director in 2004 (after voting for the closure and the lease of Prescott School to MIS), Naomi Kimbell had the NERVE to write to the MCPS school district and inquire about the SALE of Prescott School to MIS.

Thirdly, From the beginning of the this lease arrangement in 2004, Missoula International School and also Trustees and administrators have tried to fool the public into thinking that this lease benefits both MIS and MCPS.  Don't fall for this trick. This lease is not beneficial for  MCPS.  See several blog posts relaying information that indicates that the lease has cost the district millions of dollars over the years! 

When the lease extension was being discussed in July of 2011, a math professor emailed all trustees and Superintendent Apostle stating that the lease would cost the district $500,000 for one year.  In other words, the latest 5 year extension will cost the district $2.5 million dollars total and perhaps more if the growth of MIS continues. psm has been told that MIS gained another 8 students this year (and additional $40,000 loss for the distict).

Read blog posts "Is MIS taking MCPS to the Cleaners" on an older blog post and "MIS' Sweetheart Lease" on the pages section (at the top of the home page).

psm would like to remind readers that Chairwoman Toni Rehbein, Joe Toth, and Scott Bixler are STILL on the MCPS School Board.

This is important to know because these three trustees have been DISLOYAL to the school district before with their votes to sell Roosevelt School to the Catholic school system in 2005. Roosevelt School was leased prior to the sale of the school. 

Prescott School  Missoula is warning Missoulians that Toni, Joe, and Scott could very well be disloyal again with a "Roosevelt Repeat".

This must be stopped if it is tried.  This lease must not be extended past 2017 (NOTE- see below).  NO ROOSEVELT REPEAT.  TONI, SCOTT, AND JOE - MUST GO!!

Update: Toni, Joe, and Scott are GONE! Thank God!! However, we still have more "Rehbeins" (name given by citizens for Board  members whom have aligned themselves with Toni Rehbein) on the MCPS Board of Trustees. These are Joseph Knapp, Michael Smith, Jim Sadler - HS, Marcia ? - HS(her name escapes me at this time - will try to remember to update this information), Debbie Dupree - HS, and Shelly Wills.

HS - high school trustees

Also - psm was not careful when the Prescott School/MIS lease was extended for the second time in 2011 to read all of the aspects of the lease. It came to psm's attention recently that MCPS does have an opt out clause!!! This opt out clause needed to be enforced instead of building the modular at Rattlesnake School and before discussing busing our students to Paxson(discussions in 2012) and before actually busing our students to Paxson in 2013!!

Edited on November 3, 2013