Lawsuit filed against Fisher-More March 18, 2014
Posted by Tantumblogo in Basics, Dallas Diocese, disaster, General Catholic, Latin Mass, sadness, scandals, self-serving, Tradition, Virtue.trackback
FORT WORTH — A lawsuit filed in Tarrant County on Monday alleges that Fisher More College, a well-known Catholic institution on the south side of Fort Worth, is more than $100,000 behind in rent, taxes and other payments.
The suit was filed by Modern Village Management. It also seeks $300,000 in damages.
School president Michael King said late Monday that the suit “was unexpected. There is a disagreement about the current status of the lease.”
He said they were unaware of the suit until notified by News 8 earlier in the day.
The crux of Taylor Marshall’s concerns about Fisher-More were financial. While this former religious house may be spacious and beautiful, Taylor and many others associated with FMC felt it was far beyond the college’s ability to financially support.
It’s a really sad deal for the kids and many hopeful families. The former property Fisher-More existed on until last year, when it was sold by Mr. King, has all been torn down.
I have heard from many current or recent Fisher-More employees, students, family members, etc, that this shoe was about to drop. All hearsay, but from numerous different sources, all saying the same things independent of one another.
I have also been told of massive near-term liabilities in the millions of dollars that will have to be paid in the next 18 months or so just to keep this property – that does not include utilities, faculty pay, food, insurance, etc.
Absent a massive infusion of cash, Fisher-More’s future is in grave doubt.
I have come to learn how many dreams were tied up in this tiny college. There are numerous broken hearts all around.
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From FMC Web site: Statement on the financial management of the College and recent transactions:
“In fact, the terms on this “real estate transaction” are so favorable to the College that we consider the building owners (who are not Catholic) as among our biggest benefactors. It is also notable that the Board (which actively participated in the negotiations and eventually approved the transaction) included three lawyers, two of whom practice in commercial real estate. The college also used local counsel for document drafting and review. In short, there was more than sufficient professional support and oversight.”
This is odd. It seems the terms had ample oversight. What changed?
What sorrow to witness so much concern about rendering unto Caesar, and so little about rendering unto God.
Father, with all do respect, what are you talking about?
This hasn’t a thing to do with taxation, or paying the state. It has to do with imprudently pursuing a dream-structure for the college when it was beyond its financial abilities.
Agreed. The criticism of Fisher More College does not have anything to do with taxation.
What saddens is that “crux” refers more to worldly viability (material and social) that to the “crux” upon which Our Lord rendered unto His Heavenly Father, and the one He told us to take up if we are to follow Him. The context in Luke 9 can help to enlighten.
I’m a really dumb guy and don’t take hints very well. I agree we should always strive to keep our focus on Christ, but I’m not sure what your point is.
From the quality of your blog, Mr. Rochenhoffenstauffengreensteinberg-Jones, it is unlikely that anyone genuinely believes that you are a “really dumb guy.” Your blog also makes evident your desire to strive to keep focus on Christ. This precisely why I posted my comments, which I hope have not been interpreted as criticism, or hints thereof. If I gave that impression, then please accept my most sincere apologies.
Sometimes, I hate the internet.
Sorry if I misunderstood.
Dumb, like many things, is relative.
Thanks for your concerns Fr. It seems like the college cant catch a Break, one thing after the other. Well Satan knows the college takes the oath against modernism and that is the heresy that has taken over the world today. This chaos will end once Russia is consecrated to the immaculate heart.
I shall pray for this College, Michael Voris, and the Remnant Newspaper too. We are entering dark times for Holy Mother Church but as followers of Our Dear Lord Jesus we must remember ” No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” I live so far from a Tridentine Mass and the local pastor HUMILIATES my wife for her veil and because we kneel for Communion it has gotten so terrible he has refused to give Communion to ANYONE in the Parish for over 6 months until we stop kneeling for Communion and Bishop Kicanas could care less.
I don’t know what my family did to deserve to be Traditional Catholics.
Ah yes, a partisan of one of those whose foot was in the aisle is now pointing and saying, “Look! They tripped! How clumsy!”
The College can’t raise money to keep up with the rent because the Bishop has put them in a box. The Bishop put them in a box at least in part because of Taylor’s sabotage.
And … hmmm. Seems the Bishop was having lunch with Taylor the day Taylor was sending out threatening messages to Mr. King as part of his shakedown. Maybe it’s not just that the Bishop hates Tradition? Could he be helping Taylor with his private quarrel? Just askin’.
You obviously can’t take your loving gaze off of Taylor long enough to glance at the other side of the story. You’ll note that the Campus was sold long before Taylor decided the deal he himself supported was a “disaster” to pay debts that preceded Mr. King, and to pay Taylor’s big salary: amongtheruins2.blogspot.com
Before you step into the water, you’d better find out how deep it is, young man.
Oh, the things people think.
The funny thing is, Taylor and I aren’t even close. I haven’t spoken to him for 5 minutes in my entire life. You don’t see me link to him very often. He does his thing, and I do mine, and that’s fine. There are a number of areas where he and I probably disagree. I’m pretty sure he thinks I’m a bit extreme, too rad-trad. But that doesn’t make him a “bad person” or wrong on FMC or anything else.
Again, the partisans of the leadership of FMC come with angry, calumniating comments. How many good people have to be thrown under the bus for recognizing the grave problems there? I have no dog in the fight, I only know 28 (literally) different people have now told me the same concerns regarding the leadership there going back many months, almost a year now.
I’ll let this comment stand, but if you operate by casting aspersions on people who have felt compelled to walk away from FMC, then it will be bye-bye time.
You sure are a brave fellow to bring up this issue… I do not know a thing about FMC but I am always certain that there will be lots of commenting when it is the topic of your post! Whew!
Have you reached out and contacted FMC for their side of the story? You may find that there are as many, if not more, who are impressed with the effort and perserverance of those who choose to stay directly engaged, trying to see this idea through, as oppose to those who chose to leave the challenges behind and criticize from a distance. Maybe you are in a situtation where you are hearing from only those who are dissatisfied. Can we not expect for you, in charity, to at least give the same consideration to FMC? May the Holy Spirit guide you in this and all your future endeavors.
I don’t want to get into detail, but suffice it to say, I’ve heard the “other” side of the story, and I am unmoved. I have been scandalized by how people very close to Mr. King have tried to harm the reputations of others here on this blog. Those comments have not seen the light of day, and they won’t if I can help it, but I have seen them. No thanks, I don’t see a need to expose myself to more of that.
From Robert Drumm’s Among the Ruins blog:
“But somehow, though, Michael pulled through and came up with a third alternative: he negotiated a lease with the owner of the building, thereby buying two years in which the College could raise the money to finalize the purchase.”
College didn’t pay rent, taxes and utilities for months. FMC owes 120K.
Raised $300,000 in fundraising drive.
What did the college do with the 300K?
Good question about the 300K. Also, Robert Drumm’s letter indicated that the college never had any money but in March of 2011, Mr. King told two persons whom he was recruiting for staff positions that he had enough money to run the college for five years even without “another” donation. Hmmmm.
The college had the proceeds of the sale of the old campus …we know from Mr. Drumm’s letter that they had at least 2/3 equity on the properties. Zillow estimates the properties are worth $2million. They were worth much more than the market value to TCU who had long wished to buy them. Using Zillow’s conservative estimate we know the college had at least 2/3 of the minimum $2million sale of the old campus…at *Minimum* they had $1.3 million (probably quite a bit more)…now…gone…completely. In three years. To run a college with 8-20 students.
Insanity.
They wasted the money like water.
The per capita cost of that education is more than a Harvard tuition…and is worth far less.
Idiots.
Easy. Don’t misinterpret, not all students were completely dependent on FMC for their traditional Mass. They had ~40 students last fall and have about 25 now. But not all those can’t reach another TLM with FMC’s cancelled.
So some folks related to me how some of that was spent. I’ll just say, perhaps not in the most prudent ways.
The devil is out to destroy FM, and the likes of Taylor Marshall are his pawns.
It’s amazing how quickly people go from hero to goat. There can’t be any honest disagreement, it all has to be some evil conspiracy.
I don’t think you’re helping your cause.
You cannot hope to teach the true Catholic faith in its traditional entirety from within the Church itself. The modernist hammer of Thor is far reaching, Just as the Franciscans of the Immaculate.
My guess is that the lawsuit was filed in error and will be withdrawn later this week.
That would be odd, but who knows. Few businesses go to the great expense of filing a lawsuit on a whim.
Veritas,
Who is your source? Or is this speculation? The question still needs to be answered whether there is a lawsuit or not: “What happened to the 300K that was obtained through the fundraiser?”
Pertinax,
One cannot effectively teach the true Catholic faith if creditors aren’t paid, yes? Should we not be a witness to our families first and then our creditors second? To do otherwise is hypocritical, yes?
Those of you who become upset because people have taken sides against Mr. King and the leadership of FMC — those of you who claim that such people are closed-minded or emotional or hypnotized by Taylor Marshall — need to examine yourselves and the situation.
1. The people you are denouncing are people who have worked with Mr. King and who have seen the college, from the inside, for what it is. They actually worked there. Have you?
2. The people you are denouncing intended to make things work, they worked for the good of the college, and then were disillusioned. FOUR sets of faculty/staff/administration have left, two sets of them BEFORE Taylor Marshall stepped foot on campus. All this in less than 3 years. What more evidence is necessary that the leadership of the college is deeply troubled? And, yes, I’m aware of Robert Drumm’s claims — but it should be noted that (1) he has no firsthand knowledge of the 1st diaspora of faculty and staff from the college, and (2) he gets almost all of his information from Mr. King. Even as a board member his information is limited in the most part to what is presented to him. That information can and often is carefully chosen before being presented to the board. His experience of the college then is moderated by Mr. King and his lack of firsthand experience of life in the trenches of Fisher More College weakens his defense of it.
Think about it this way: if you actually KNEW the leadership of the college was troubled and went about finding what evidence there was for this, could you reasonably expect more evidence than currently exists? Four sets of faculty/staff leaving, not on good terms, in 3 years; financial disaster; a lawsuit; an episcopal penalty against the institution; a host of complaints from all former employees who dare to speak up; conspicuous silence from all other former employees; etc…
3. It has been proposed that people should consult FMC for the other side of the story. Meaning, consult Mr. King? Or consult the ever changing faculty? Or consult the ever-changing administration/staff? There’s no reason to believe, given the history, that these people will remain satisfied with the institution (assuming they actually are right now). The same goes for the Board members. The turnover has been incredible. Point is, within the last 3 years alone, there are more former Board members, former faculty, and former administration/staff that have left completely disillusioned, fed up, and/or maltreated than there are Board members, faculty, and administration/staff that would tell you “the other side of the story.” There is more reason to believe that those currently at FMC will also eventually leave than there is reason to believe that their current satisfied reports about FMC are permanent. And that is assuming they would give a satisfied report. None of the employees has defended FMC…yet.
4. Lastly, it should be pointed out that many, if not almost all, of the stories/reports/rumors about the leadership and vision of FMC have come from those with first-hand experience, not from secondhand sources or “back channels”. It is former employees, former faculty, former students, who either speak up or confirm what has been said. Most if not all of them have hitherto remained silent — for several reasons, both virtuous (avoiding detraction, etc) and possibly self-interested (fear of reprisal, etc) — but now the cat is out of the bag, a bishop’s reputation is being attacked, and a critical mass has been reached. Whether or not such stories/reports/rumors deserve to be made public at this time…the sources of these reports are those who would know.
I would just like to reiterate that all those I have spoken with are either current or very recently former students/faculty/administration/parents of FMC. Someone left a comment claiming I ought to stop repeating internet rumors and get the “real, inside story.” I feel I have, from a sufficient number of people, all saying the same things, that I cannot ignore their statements.
I didn’t look to go attacking King or Fisher-More. All I wanted to do was to put some caution in the overboard reactions to a bishop shutting down the TLM at a teeny, tiny Catholic college. I keep seeing statements about the TLM being taken away from “an entire college community” – OK, but how many souls did that really affect? As I’ve said in many comments, the number of people who depended on FMC for their primary TLM is in the ranger of 8 to 15. For those souls, this is very difficult, but the impression being created is that dozens or hundreds of people are affected. That is simply not the case. The vast majority of over-the-top commenters have no idea how small Fisher-More is.
I also said I thought this action was uncharitable and likely imprudent, but I don’t know what other options Bishop Olson had. Given how much I pound on bishops, maybe folks ought to take into account the fact that I am, if not defending him, at least trying to instill some calm in the mob. Maybe that says something.
All I know is every single person I have spoken with that is either still working/studying/teaching at Fisher-More or who has only recently left has told me they don’t feel this matter really has anything to do with episcopal animosity towards the TLM but was something of a last-ditch attempt to keep the college from falling off a cliff. Maybe they’re all crazy and wrong, but we’re talking about some of the most faithful, zealous souls in the entire DFW area, people who had a passion for learning/living/instilling the Faith, but who came away saddened and disillusioned by their experience at FMC. This cohort includes some very good priests.
It seems like yesterday reading about the letter from the new Bishop of FTW about the TLM being discontinued there and now this. What a bad turn of events. The last thing we need is a good catholic school going under.
On 3/18/14, A Blog for Dallas Area Catholics