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March 28, 2005
Boonville
Considers an Offer for School
By STEVE ROCK The Kansas City Star
City officials
in Boonville, Mo., have received a “serious” offer to purchase the
former Kemper Military School.
The bid was made
by a group led by Robert Lichfield, founder of an association of
boarding schools that has attracted controversy. The World Wide
Association of Specialty Programs and Schools, based in St. George,
Utah, provides service and guidance for a network of seven schools
in the United States and Jamaica.
Some schools
affiliated with the organization have been accused of abuse, and one
congressman asked the Department of Justice to investigate the
association and its members.
“There will be
considerable due diligence,” said Steve Tillman, a member of the
city's Industrial Development Authority. “We live in this town. We
definitely want whatever we do to turn out right.”
Lichfield would
not operate Kemper but would sublease it to Randall Hinton, Hinton
has said, and the school would be operated independently of the
network. Hinton is not affiliated with World Wide Association of
Specialty Programs and Schools, he has said.
Neither
Lichfield nor Hinton could be reached.
Ken Kay,
president of the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and
Schools, has denied allegations of abuse at its schools. The
priority of the association and its members is “the safety and
well-being of the children,” Kay said.
Hinton said he
would like the school to operate much as Kemper Military School did,
with a military theme and uniformed students adhering to a
regimented schedule.
Kemper, the
oldest military academy west of the Mississippi River when it closed
in 2002, has been owned by the city since April 2003.
City officials
have been in discussions with the Lichfield group for several
months.
They declined
last week to answer most questions regarding the process, including
those pertaining to financial specifics and time lines. A news
release said the offer was accompanied by an “earnest money
deposit.”
Lt. Bob Welliver
of the Boonville Police Department said his office had reviewed
background information on the Lichfield group and had given the city
“a very preliminary report.”
He said his
office also had advised city officials on how an expanded background
check should be conducted.
“I believe a
major, thorough investigation should be done on any major sale of
city-owned property to any group,” Welliver said. “That's just
common sense.
“This is a major
piece of property, and we need to do it right.”
To reach Steve
Rock, call
(816) 234-4338
or send e-mail to srock@kcstar.com.
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