[Vision2020] University Sale of Clark Fork Property

Ron Force rforce@moscow.com
Thu, 9 Oct 2003 15:20:00 -0700


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  -----Original Message-----
  From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]On
Behalf Of Jim Wallis
  Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2003 8:05 AM
  To: ttrail@moscow.com
  Cc: vision2020@moscow.com
  Subject: [Vision2020] University Sale of Clark Fork Property


  <snip>


  Retaining a valuable asset: An asset like this is not easily replaced, and
the University might have undertaken efforts outside its current educational
mission to preserve a resource that could develop into a very important part
of the educational mission in the future. What measures were taken to
preserve it by promoting use by the Natural Resources College itself? Were
other state agencies, or other government agencies, offered use of the
facilities for a fee? Were agencies or individuals offered lease
opportunities?  Was active promotion of the site for non- educational
purposes considered?

  Yes-- they struggled for eight years to build both credit and non-credit
courses.  Enrollment continued to dwindle. Most of the use in recent years
was family reuinons and non-academic gatherings, but they never brought in
sufficient revenue. Clark Fork is  too far from population centers and
recreational amenities (like waterfront). Few groups these days want to
experience togetherness in a bunkhouse and share a shower room.



  Commitment to North Idaho: The original intent was to offer courses and
conduct research in North Idaho. Did those responsible for the sale review
the reasons for original purchase decision? Has the University changed its
goals since that time? Has the University or the Natural Resources College
changed its commitment to North Idaho? Does the sale indicate that the
University expects its programs in the North to shrink for the foreseeable
future, with no expansion on the horizon?

  Yes, the University has changed its goals.  "Nice-to-Haves" that were
tolerated in (relatively) flush economic times can't be sustained in a time
of declining budgets. A 20% budget reallocation gets your attention. This is
a cumulation of actual budget reductions and cost increases not covered by
state appropriations. The university did a thorough review of all
deficit-producing enterprises not central to the educational mission.
Administrators had to either produce a business plan to eliminate the
deficit, or to make plans to eliminate the activity. For example, the
College of Agriculture closed its experimental feedlot at Nampa.  Programs
in the North that produce positive results, such as the Post Falls Research
Park or the Coeur d'Alene Center will be strongly supported.


  Establishing the value: There is much discussion about the inability to
establish the value of the property by assessment. The only rational way to
determine market value is to market the property. Who at the University does
not understand this? While "more intensive marketing plan" makes it sound
like a major undertaking, wouldn't a few newspaper ads have alerted most
interested parties at a trivial expense?

  Why didn't the university put the property on the open market?  They were
scared to death of someone like the Aryan Nations buying the property. Once
listed with a realator, there's no way they could turn down a buyer no
matter how odious. The also felt the community wouldn't like someone coming
in, clearcutting the property and then subdividing it. They were looking for
a buyer who'd keep the property pretty much as it is, and that tends to
eliminate high bidders. As it is, they only doubled their investment in
eight years.


  < snip>
  The above is my opinion and doesn't necessarily reflect the views of
anyone else at the university-- just what I've heard.



  ********************************************
  Ron Force         rforce@moscow.com

   Moscow  Idaho USA
  ********************************************

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<DIV><FONT size=3D2><BR></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
  size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> =
vision2020-admin@moscow.com=20
  [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Jim=20
  Wallis<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, October 09, 2003 8:05 =
AM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
  ttrail@moscow.com<BR><B>Cc:</B> =
vision2020@moscow.com<BR><B>Subject:</B>=20
  [Vision2020] University Sale of Clark Fork =
Property<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D410071921-09102003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
  size=3D2>&lt;snip&gt;</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><BR></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT =

  face=3DArial>Retaining a valuable asset: An asset like this is not =
easily=20
  replaced, and the University might have undertaken efforts outside its =
current=20
  educational mission to preserve a resource that could develop into a =
very=20
  important part of the educational mission in the future. What measures =
were=20
  taken to preserve it by promoting use by the Natural Resources College =
itself?=20
  Were other state agencies, or other government agencies, offered use =
of the=20
  facilities for a fee? Were agencies or individuals offered lease=20
  opportunities?&nbsp; Was active promotion of the site for non- =
educational=20
  purposes considered?&nbsp;<SPAN class=3D410071921-09102003><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff=20
  size=3D2>&nbsp;</FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT =

  face=3DArial><SPAN=20
  class=3D410071921-09102003></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT =

  face=3DArial><SPAN class=3D410071921-09102003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Yes--=20
  they struggled for eight years to build both credit and non-credit=20
  courses.&nbsp; Enrollment continued to dwindle. Most of the use in =
recent=20
  years was family reuinons and non-academic gatherings, but they never =
brought=20
  in sufficient revenue. Clark Fork is </FONT>&nbsp;<FONT =
color=3D#0000ff=20
  size=3D2>too far from population centers and recreational amenities =
(like=20
  waterfront). Few groups these days want to experience togetherness in =
a=20
  bunkhouse and share a shower =
room.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
  color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
  class=3D410071921-09102003></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><BR></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT =

  face=3DArial>Commitment to North Idaho: The original intent was to =
offer courses=20
  and conduct research in North Idaho. Did those responsible for the =
sale review=20
  the reasons for original purchase decision? Has the University changed =
its=20
  goals since that time? Has the University or the Natural Resources =
College=20
  changed its commitment to North Idaho? Does the sale indicate that the =

  University expects its programs in the North to shrink for the =
foreseeable=20
  future, with no expansion on the horizon?&nbsp;<SPAN=20
  class=3D410071921-09102003><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
  size=3D2>&nbsp;</FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT =

  face=3DArial><SPAN=20
  class=3D410071921-09102003></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT =

  face=3DArial><SPAN class=3D410071921-09102003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Yes, the=20
  University has changed its goals.&nbsp; "Nice-to-Haves" that were =
tolerated in=20
  (relatively) flush economic times can't be sustained in a time of =
declining=20
  budgets. A 20% budget reallocation gets your attention. This is a =
cumulation=20
  of actual budget reductions and cost increases not covered by state=20
  appropriations. The university did a thorough review&nbsp;of all=20
  deficit-producing enterprises not central to the educational=20
  mission.&nbsp;Administrators had to&nbsp;either produce a business =
plan to=20
  eliminate the deficit, or to make plans to&nbsp;eliminate the=20
  activity.&nbsp;For example, the College of Agriculture closed its =
experimental=20
  feedlot at Nampa. &nbsp;Programs in the North that =
produce&nbsp;positive=20
  results, such as the Post Falls Research Park or the =
Coeur</FONT>&nbsp;<FONT=20
  color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>d'Alene Center will be strongly=20
  supported.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><BR></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT =

  face=3DArial>Establishing the value: There is much discussion about =
the=20
  inability to establish the value of the property by assessment. The =
only=20
  rational way to determine market value is to market the property. Who =
at the=20
  University does not understand this? While "more intensive marketing =
plan"=20
  makes it sound like a major undertaking, wouldn't a few newspaper ads =
have=20
  alerted most interested parties at a trivial expense?<SPAN=20
  class=3D410071921-09102003><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
  size=3D2>&nbsp;</FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT =

  face=3DArial><SPAN=20
  class=3D410071921-09102003></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT =

  face=3DArial><SPAN class=3D410071921-09102003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Why=20
  didn't the university put the property on the open market?&nbsp; They =
were=20
  scared to death of someone like the Aryan Nations buying the property. =
Once=20
  listed with a realator, there's no way they could turn down a buyer no =
matter=20
  how odious. The also felt the community wouldn't like someone coming =
in,=20
  clearcutting the property and then subdividing it. They were looking =
for a=20
  buyer who'd keep the property pretty much as it is, and that tends to=20
  eliminate high bidders. As it is, they only doubled their investment =
in eight=20
  years.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><BR></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D410071921-09102003></SPAN><FONT =
face=3DArial><FONT=20
  color=3D#0000ff><FONT size=3D2>&lt;<SPAN=20
  =
class=3D410071921-09102003>&nbsp;snip&gt;&nbsp;</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FON=
T></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial><FONT color=3D#0000ff><FONT =
size=3D2><SPAN=20
  class=3D410071921-09102003>The above is my opinion and doesn't =
necessarily=20
  reflect the views of anyone else at the university-- just what I've=20
  heard.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><BR></DIV><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D3><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT>
  <DIV align=3Dleft>
  <DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT></DIV><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
  size=3D2></FONT><BR></DIV>
  <DIV align=3Dleft>
  <P><FONT =
size=3D2>********************************************<BR><SPAN=20
  class=3D410071921-09102003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff>Ron=20
  Force&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <A=20
  =
href=3D"mailto:rforce@moscow.com">rforce@moscow.com</A></FONT></SPAN></FO=
NT></P>
  <P><FONT size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D410071921-09102003>&nbsp;Moscow</SPAN>&nbsp;<SPAN=20
  class=3D410071921-09102003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff>&nbsp;<FONT=20
  color=3D#000000>Idaho=20
  =
USA&nbsp;</FONT></FONT></SPAN><BR>***************************************=
*****</FONT></P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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