Letter to Families & Guardians from Jack Manning, Chairman, Center Lease Committee

TO:          Families & Guardians

FROM:   Jack Manning, Chairman, Center Lease Committee
 
DATE:   April 11, 2007

As you know, over the last several months we have attempted to work with the City to resolve our right to remain on our West Dallas campus. Although at times these efforts were encouraging, as we reported to you, the Committee was determined to remain prepared for the probability that PR, political and/or legal actions would be required.
 
We prepared a website, proceeded through several drafts of a special edition of our news letter, sought legal counsel, engaged a PR consultant and took other steps in preparation for many possible scenarios. Although discussed generally from time to time with both Boards, much of this planning and activity was of necessity not made public based on our belief that premature action or disclosure would not be in our best interest.
 
A March 22 letter from Bob Christy (the City's Director of Real Estate); restating the City's intent to sell our property was a "bright line" requiring us to act. We sought one last meeting with the City in an attempt to convince them not to destroy our programs.  Before that meeting occurred the April 1 Chronicle article placed the whole issue in the public domain. Despite that article City officials remained unconcerned about the political consequences of the public reaction we had anticipated and predicted. Based upon their response we felt it was appropriate to take the following actions:
 
     1. Our web site (www.savethecenter.org) was activated (April 2)
 
     2. We commenced an informal e-mail campaign (April 2)
 
     3. We appeared before the Chronicle editorial board (April 3) which resulted in a
         favorable editorial (April 5)
 
     4. Center President Wayne Johnson wrote Mr. Christy advising him that we disputed his
         right to sell our property and that we would resist any effort to do so by all legal and
         other means available to us (April 3)
 
     5. We released our special edition news letter asking for support from everyone on our
         mailing list (April 5)
 
The public and media response can only be described as remarkable. On reliable information, it appears the City was inundated with e-mails, letters and phone calls in our support. No-one came forward to support the City. A group of our clients and parents appeared at City Council on April 3, and it was apparent that several Council members were supportive of our cause.  We have received several unsolicited contributions.

On April 5, U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee held a press conference at the Center and endorsed our position. We are grateful to Congresswoman Lee for taking the lead in this matter.
 
We believe it will be impossible for the City to ignore this outpouring of public, media and political support. We believe they are finally "getting the message".
 
You and we should keep it up. We expect a new round of e-mails, calls, letters, etc., in response to our news letter which began reaching homes on April 6. Parents and clients appeared at the City Council meeting on Tuesday (April 10).
 
We are represented by the law firm of Baker Botts, LLP, which has generously volunteered to represent us pro bono. They are counseling with us daily on the conduct of this matter.
 
We continue the development, adaptation and implementation of PR, political and legal defenses to the City’s attack on our programs, all of which defenses require daily (and sometimes hourly) responses to a fluid and changing landscape. We are taking all possible actions to keep open as many options as we can.
 
We will keep you informed to the fullest extent possible consistent with the needs of confidentiality. Please keep the following basic concepts in mind as you deal with possible media or other inquiries:
 
     1. Our leases are valid and enforceable.
 
     2. We cannot afford to pay in cash commercial market rentals for our West Dallas
         campus. Such payments are not required by our leases or by prior administrations
         and would be a financial death sentence for us.
 
     3. Our greatest assets are our clients and our programs. They should be our emphasis.
         A frank, straight-forward focus on them is our best approach. We continue to believe
         that anyone inspecting our program will join us.
 
     4. We do not seek confrontation or litigation. We only want to continue serving our
         clients.
 
     5. We have a Committee designated to deal with this matter and requests for further
         comments and information should be addressed to the Committee.
 
Your support and confidence have been outstanding and are much appreciated.