housing and food service in direct competition with local businesses raises additional concerns.  The prominent placement of an internet link from the Christ Church website only to the University of Idaho Conferences and Events for housing and food service needs may be viewed as prejudicial to hotels, motels, and restaurants in the area while offering an advantageous position to the University of Idaho.  Absent any University disclaimer, the Trinity Festival appears to enjoy the uncritical approval of the institution. 

The contract signed by the University of Idaho and a Christ Church representative includes the following clause:

 

“16.  Breach, Termination:

. . . in the event of the breach by Permittee of one or more [of] the provisions of this Agreement, or any material misrepresentations in obtaining said Agreement, University may terminate this agreement, refuse to allow Permittee to take possession, and may terminate all activities of Permittee there from.” (pg. 7 of contract dated 11-11, 2004 by the University of Idaho representative)

 

The documentation included in material I received from my public records request included an Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Appointment of Agent for Service of Process issued by the Secretary of State of the State of Idaho.  I presume that this document was provided by Christ Church to justify a non profit status claim, and perhaps to receive the non-profit organization rental rate.  Christ Church is not registered as a 501(c)(3) organization.  An Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Appointment of Agent for Service of Process does not validate the claim of non-profit status.  Mr. Chuck Goodenough, Deputy Secretary of State-Idaho Commercial Division, offers the following explanation of this document.

 

“This is a filing office, we do not investigate and we have no regulatory authority. When an unincorporated non-profit association such as the one you refer to in Moscow files an appointment of agent for service of process with us, we file it and make it available as a public record. Unincorporated non-profit associations file nothing with us other than their appointment of agent for service of process; and the law makes even that filing optional. We do not review their operation and do not grant them anything. Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Act, Idaho Code Section 53-701, et seq.”

Contact information for Mr. Goodenough:  Tel: (208) 334-2301)

 

(On a private note:  This same kind of document was used by Christ Church representatives in a local property tax exemption complaint.  The administrators and Counsel of Christ Church are aware that it has no merit in substantiating a claim as a non profit entity.  Sworn testimony on the historic income of Canon Press given July 2004 and again in November of 2004 establishes that in the year 2000 and 2001 the revenue from the press was in excess of one million dollars.  The expected income in 2004 was nine hundred thousand dollars.  Canon Press is a vanity press