Ecclesia College a church? Fort Smith attorney files amended FOIA lawsuit

Ecclesia College a church? Fort Smith attorney files amended FOIA lawsuit:



"In a recently filed Renewed Motion to Dismiss a Freedom of Information Act case brought against Ecclesia, Ecclesia revealed and contended that it was actually a church and not a college and that records concerning the expenditure of grant monies were church records,” McCutchen wrote in a news release.

McCutchen’s amended complaint filed in Washington County alleges that Ecclesia violated Article II, Section 24 of the Arkansas Constitution on the grounds that giving state grant fund monies to a “church violates the Constitutional prohibition on compelling citizens to ‘support any place of worship,’ and that it also gives ‘preference . . . to any religious establishment.’”

The amended complaint also alleges that Ecclesia Inc. “committed a fraud” in the application process by representing itself as a college rather than as a church, as it now contends."

 "We have to learn how to turn a college into a church
when the feds come knocking, and a church into a college
for receiving Arkansas state tax money."

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Judge's order prohibits release of documents in Springdale, Ecclesia claims | NWADG

Judge's order prohibits release of documents in Springdale, Ecclesia claims | NWADG:



"Judge's order prohibits release of documents in Springdale, Ecclesia claims

By Ron Wood
Posted: May 17, 2017 at 1:10 a.m.

ANTHONY REYES • @NWATONYR
Credit: NWA Democrat-Gazette



Ecclesia College is again refusing to release documents requested in a Freedom of Information Act request by a former teacher and board member.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Ecclesia College is again refusing to release documents requested by a former teacher and board member.

Travis Storey, attorney for Ecclesia, in a renewed motion to dismiss filed late last week, contends the documents are covered in a protective order issued by a federal judge hearing the corruption case of former state Sen. Jonathan Woods, Ecclesia President Oren Paris III and Randall Shelton Jr. Former state Rep. Micah Neal has already pleaded guilty for his role.

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Arkansas legislators gave nearly $700,000 of taxpayers' money to the private Christian college in Springdale from the state's General Improvement Fund."

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EC President Oren Paris III, Woods, others answer to new indictment in kickback scheme | NWADG

Woods, others answer to new indictment in kickback scheme | NWADG:

"Paris is accused of paying kickbacks to Woods while Woods was a legislator and to then-Rep. Micah Neal, also R-Springdale. Neal pleaded guilty to public corruption charges on Jan. 4.

According to the indictment, Paris passed the kickback payments through Shelton. Shelton is a consultant and business partner of Paris. Paris paid Shelton consulting fees from the college, and Shelton would pass money to Woods, the indictment says.

Woods also agreed to encourage other state lawmakers to give money to the college. In all, Ecclesia College obtained more than $700,000 in state General Improvement Fund grants from 2013 through 2014, records show.

In other developments Monday, Paris received permission to travel out of state to meet with private donors to the college as long as he gives federal authorities 14 days notice."

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EC President Oren Paris III and Shelton face 13 wire fraud counts instead of 10. Charges added against former Arkansas lawmaker in bribery case. The defendants each face up to 20 years in prison, plus fines and forfeiture of any money or property acquired.

 The defendants each face up to 20 years in prison, plus fines and forfeiture of any money or property acquired.

Charges added against former Arkansas lawmaker in bribery case:


"Former Republican Sen. Jon Woods is accused of accepting bribes from Ecclesia College President Oren Paris III in return for state grants to the college, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. Randell Shelton Jr. is accused of passing the bribes to Woods through his consulting firm in return for a share.

The amended indictment shows Woods faces 15 counts of wires fraud, instead of 12. Paris and Shelton face 13 wire fraud counts instead of 10. All three also face one count of mail fraud.

The defendants each face up to 20 years in prison, plus fines and forfeiture of any money or property acquired. They are scheduled to be tried together in May.

Woods and Paris were released on a $10,000 bond, and Shelton was released on a $5,000 bond.

The amended indictment also names former Republican Rep. Micah Neal, who allegedly helped Woods direct the state General Improvement Fund money to Ecclesia College in 2013 and 2014."

 Henderson did not know he was on the Ecclesia Board of Regents.
This so-called board never met, and Pat Boone could
not remember the college or being asked.

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Ecclesia on agency's watch list | NWADG

Ecclesia on agency's watch list | NWADG:


"SPRINGDALE -- The U.S. Department of Education placed Ecclesia College in Springdale on a watch list that affects the school's cash flow, according to the department's website.

Ecclesia is under "Heightened Cash Monitoring 2," an indication that the department is providing additional oversight of cash management, according to the website for the department's Federal Student Aid office.

Typically, colleges receive federal student aid funds on an "advance pay" or "direct reimbursement" basis from the Department of Education. Once an educational institution has been placed on the heightened-monitoring list, funds are released to the school after it has disbursed money to the student or parent borrower, and the school must submit manual reports. The process slows the affected college's cash flow.

Federal Student Aid may place institutions on the heightened-monitoring list "to provide additional oversight for a number of financial or federal compliance issues, some of which may be serious and others that may be less troublesome," the website states.

Arkansas Babtist College in Little Rock is the only other institution in the state with the same status.

Department officials did not respond to repeated requests made since Monday for information on how or why Ecclesia ended up with the heightened-monitoring designation.

It was unclear whether the designation is related to recent criminal allegations against the college's president, Oren Paris III."

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Oren Paris III and Ecclesia College. NWA editorial: The money changers | NWADG

Oren Paris III with Heidi and Ted Cruz

NWA editorial: The money changers | NWADG:

"NWA editorial: The money changers
Converting public money to private use demands scrutiny
By NWA Democrat-Gazette
Posted: April 8, 2017 at 1 a.m.

Perhaps it's just human nature to want it all.

Or, since we live in a nation of relative abundance, maybe that attitude is just particularly well developed here in the land of plenty.

What’s the point?

If private organizations or businesses receive taxpayer money, their records related to the use of that money should be open to public inspection.

Ecclesia College, the private Christian school in Springdale, is today's example. Its history dates to 1975, and for much of that, the school has operated without making big headlines. It's educated its students with a focus on biblical education along with business, counseling and other degrees. Under the leadership of Oren Paris III, the college has grown its campus and its areas of study.

Of late, the news about Ecclesia hasn't been so bright. A corruption case involving local, elected state government representatives has shone a spotlight on the college, which involved the two state lawmakers. One former state representative has already pleaded guilty to accepting a kickback to direct taxpayer dollars toward Ecclesia. A former state senator is indicted in the same case, as is Paris.

But set all that aside for a moment. Ecclesia's involvement in the case centers around more than $700,000 in state money provided to the college, primarily if not wholly for land acquisition. Absent the alleged kickbacks, that money appears to have been achieved through otherwise legal means, a funding mechanism called the General Improvement Fund. That public money, as a result of a terrible public policy, was effectively handed over to the control of state representatives and senators who could allocate it as they saw fit.

Ecclesia pursued the money and got plenty of it. Now, under the shadow of the kickback allegations, the college has been asked to produce documents related to its use of the money the state's taxpayers effectively donated to the Bible college's purposes. Jim Parsons of Bella Vista filed a lawsuit after his requests for information about the money and its use were rejected by Paris. Parsons asserts the college's records related to the public money should be accessible by the public that provided the money.

Paris and the college are fighting the lawsuit, continuing their assertion that as a private institution, it is under no obligation to open itself to public scrutiny or accountability.

No ruling has been made in the lawsuit.

It makes no sense for public money to be funneled to a private college. Beyond that, it defies reasonable ethical expectations that even a private institution or organization should be able to accept public money without having to open its records with regard to how that money is used.

We don't suggest Ecclesia's entire operation become open to public inspection, but accepting $700,000 in public money ought to come with some strings attached. Transparency ought to be one of those strings.

State lawmakers who want to protect the public's interests should support measures to make clear that any money handed over to a private entity such as Ecclesia is subject to the same level of transparency as if that money was used within state government. After all, it's the public's money.

Ecclesia is wanting it all, free money from taxpayers without accountability.

We understand why the college might take that stance, but Arkansans should expect more from the people they send to represent them in Little Rock, and state lawmakers should be more interested in making sure the tax dollars Arkansans pay are put to appropriate uses.

If we can't trust them to do that, why would we ever trust them with any more of our tax dollars?

Commentary on 04/08/2017"

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Christian Post Reports on Ecclesia College

 We need to learn how the capitalists do this.
We are planning a rapid expansion of our empire too.

Christian Ecclesia College Stands by President After He Is Indicted for Mail, Wire Fraud:

"Neal pleaded guilty in January to conspiring with an Arkansas state senator to appropriate government money to two non-profit entities — a college in Springdale and a corporation that manufactures jobs for disabled veterans, disadvantaged youth and those recovering from substance abuse. Between 2013 and 2015, they authorized and directed the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District to award a total of $600,000 in General Improvement Funds to those entities — $200,000 of which went to the college. In return, Neal received approximately $38,000 in bribes from officials at those entities.

According to the Democrat Gazette, records from the NWAEDD show that Neal specifically requested a $50,000 grant be given to a private college and the only grant he directed for that amount to a college was for Ecclesia. His grant was awarded in 2014 just after Woods directed a $150,000 grant to the same college.

Also, according to the Gazette, nine Northwest Arkansas legislators requested $592,500 for the school. Woods directed the most at more than $350,000.

In total, Arkansas legislators gave nearly $700,000 of taxpayers' money to help Ecclesia College buy almost 50 acres although it already owned more than 200 acres, the Gazette reported. The college also reportedly used state improvement fund grants to help buy two proprieties in 2013, for well over their county-appraised value.

Ecclesia said in its grant applications it needed the land for student housing to accommodate rapid growth in its fall 2013 and fall 2014 enrollments, but the Springdale building department shows no new buildings or structural renovation have occurred on the properties, the Gazette reported."

The dishonest Ecclesia website is managed by Oren Paris' sister,
Angie Paris Snyder. She and Oren listed Steven Henderson as a
member of the EC Board of Regents - surprising Steve Henderson.

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***

GJ - Let's be frank about this rapid growth. I heard that line from a former board member, Jim Parsons, who is suing the college to tell the truth about its finances. That was about five years ago. The college has not grown at all, except in land owned.

Parsons, a veteran Green Beret, is known for his battles to promote government integrity.

Where did all that money go? One Oren Paris pal had the president hire a lady for $50,000 a year, which included a $7,000 cash bonus. What was this job - to be Oren's secretary in the office he seldom used.

No dorms were built with this enormous flow of money. The students live in the kind of buildings found in old church campgrounds.

No classroom buildings exist. The funny octagon (main) building is a combination of everything - rooms divided by plastic curtains, registrar's offices, a so-called children's ministry, a microscopic library, and offices for all the coaches. I never saw a decent classroom on the entire campus.

The stairs up to the most of the classrooms are steep and there is no access for the handicapped.

The addition to the Walker building seemed more like a big room designed for political meetings, - the real passion for Oren Paris.

Big sports school? No gym. No locker-rooms. No pool. They have a baseball diamond built by volunteers. They compete in basketball at local gyms.

Deluxe parking - the gravel parking lot is in need of more gravel.

Deluxe walkways - more gravel, plus mud.

Deluxe eating facilities - a little old building with a kitchen, fireplace, more of a leftover church campground facility.

The faculty are qualified to teach, but there is a ghost faculty too.

One lawyer asked me, "Have you seen most of those listed as faculty?" I said "No, and I am there various days." He looked up one famous faculty member - at that time a permanent resident at a nursing home.

The members of Oren's family - the ones getting most of the money - are not qualified to teach or to manage higher education.

The Paris family thought they could take a little volunteer Pentecostal Bible College and upgrade it to rake in public funds. But they do not feel obliged to follow the rules. They refuse to disclose how the money is being spent, although all public institutions share their budgets, actual faculty members, actual board members, and actual facilities.

The college that my wife and I attended started out very small, moving from one location to another. The faculty ratio in education at Augustana is 91% PhD. That attracts donations and earns the support of public foundations.

But Oren Paris continues  as the overpaid president of Ecclesia College - his mom on the board and very well paid. All this, even though Oren was indicted by the federal government for the way he obtained the government funds and used the college's funds.

Hey Paris Family - the money does not belong to you, but to a non-profit institution with public responsibilities.

Pat Boone remembers he's on Ecclesia board

 Now I remember.

Pat Boone remembers he's on Ecclesia board: "Home / News / Arkansas

82-year-old singer says memory jogged
By Bill Bowden

This article was published today at 4:01 a.m. Updated today at 4:01 a.m.


Oren Paris, president of Ecclesia College, is shown in this Thursday, April 11, 2013 file photo.

Pat Boone has had a revelation.

The 82-year-old singer, who last week denied ever having heard of Springdale's Ecclesia College, said his memory has been jogged.

Boone said he apparently agreed in 2012 to serve on the Christian college's board of regents, but he had forgotten all about it.

"I've had to go back and review correspondence and consult memories of others than myself about my being on the board at Ecclesia College," Boone wrote in an email Wednesday to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Oren Paris III, president of Ecclesia College. "My memory was vague but clearer now."

On March 1, Paris was charged in federal court with nine counts of honest-services wire fraud and one count of honest-services mail fraud in a kickback case involving state legislators and hundreds of thousands of dollars in state funds. The scheme involved bribing the legislators and thus denying "honest services" by the elected officials, according to the indictment.

Attempts were made last week to reach members of the board of regents regarding the indictment of Paris, so a call was placed to Pat Boone Enterprises in West Hollywood, Calif.

Through his assistant, Boone said on March 7 that he had never heard of Ecclesia College and didn't serve on its board of regents.

Boone apparently heard from someone at Ecclesia College after an article was published in the Democrat-Gazette on March 9.

Boone began his email Wednesday with, "To whom it may concern: (and obviously it concerns many)."

Boone wrote that Paris "evidently" contacted him in 2012 about serving on the board. Boone said he had known Paris for a couple of years.

Boone wrote that he also was contacted by George Hiller, a "highly respected investor manager and analyst in Atlanta and devoted Christian," about being on the Ecclesia board. Hiller didn't return a phone call Thursday.

"As I remember, I proposed I'd be on a board of advisers, but was told that the board of regents as expressed by Ecclesia was more of a 'board of reference,' and an endorsement of the goals and objectives of the school," Boone wrote in the email.

"So, on that basis, I accepted, and since then have had little, if any, contact with Oren or the school. I meant my name to be used as an endorsement of the goals and aspirations as they had been expressed to me, and because of those expressing those goals and my confidence in them, felt I could lend my name to the enterprise."

Regarding the charges facing Paris, Boone wrote, "Since I know nothing of what has happened since then, I can only hope and pray that the problems that Ecclesia faces momentarily can be settled by complete transparency, explanation and records. We need more Christian education not less in America.""


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Oren Paris III is standing  where an addition was built,
one large room - not "a classroom building."

GJ - Pat Boone is one of three who said they did not know they were on this Board of Regents, as they call it. The other two said they knew about the college but did not know they were on this board.

This so-called board is just window dressing and does not meet. Three years ago, one faculty member said, "If Pat Boone is on this board, why have we never seen him?"

Oren Paris III was not seen very often and did not engage in much work at the college, but he spoke as if he were over-worked.

Twila Paris Defends Brother Indicted for Bribery at Christian... | Gleanings | ChristianityToday.com

Their dishonest website, deceptive Board of Regents,
and alleged involvement in bribery to obtain tax money
may taint the claims of Angie Paris Snyder...a wee bit.

Twila Paris Defends Brother Indicted for Bribery at Christian... | Gleanings | ChristianityToday.com:


"The story is a tangled one, and it starts with the school. Sitting on 250 acres in Springdale, Ecclesia offers 17 degrees to about 283 students. It’s a “work college,” which means students do jobs on campus in exchange for lower tuition.

 Pat Boone never heard of Ecclesia College,
but Angie Paris Snyder
had him listed as a member of their Board of Regents.
Two others also expressed shock they were listed.

Ecclesia is like a family. Like the Paris family.

Twila’s parents established the small Christian liberal arts college in 1975, along with Twila, her three younger siblings, and their grandparents. In the beginning, it hosted training schools for YWAM (Youth With a Mission), which was founded by Twila’s uncle Loren Cunningham.
In 1996, the campus transitioned into a Bible college, accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education. In 2005, it received accreditation as a liberal arts school. The college sits under the umbrella of Ecclesia Inc, which also covers Strategic Missions, Ecclesia Relief and Development, Bibles For the Nations, Ecclesia Children’s Ministries, Happy Few Unlimited, and Twila Paris Productions.

Twila’s father led the institution until her brother, Oren Paris III, took over as president in 1997. Twila’s sister Angie Snyder is the director of communications; brother-in-law Mike Novak is the financial development director and runs IT. Her mother Inez Paris is the chancellor and sits on the eight-person board of governance; so does Twila’s husband Jack Wright and Oren Paris III himself.

In all, seven family members draw salaries from the school, Snyder told CT. The indictment charges Paris with receiving more than $300,000 in compensation over four years; in all, his family recieved more than $1 million."

How many college presidents only have a BA
and - after many years - an online DMin?
Could anyone in the Paris family teach at a community college?
No one is qualified to teach or manage higher education.

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Three People Listed by Ecclesia College as Regents Didn't Know They Were on the Board

 Pat Boone starred in that Pentecostal favorite
The Cross and the Switchblade,
but did the Holy Spriti know Pat was press-ganged onto the
Board of Regents at Ecclesia College?

Three People Listed by Ecclesia College as Regents Didn't Know They Were on the Board:

"Now that’s embarrassing.

Steve Henderson, H.D. McCarty and Pat Boone are listed by Ecclesia College as members of their Board of Regents. However, the men now say they didn’t know they were listed as members. Pat Boone told Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Bill Bowden he never heard of the school.

Henderson and McCarty both know about the school and know beleaguered president Oren Paris but they didn’t know they were on the Ecclesia Board.

Paris has been indicted on charges of fraud for his part in an alleged kickback scheme including two Arkansas state legislators, Sen. Jon Woods, and Rep. Micah Neal. Neal has already pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Woods and Paris maintain their innocence."

 Oren Paris III (my photo) displayed unusual
enthusiasm for political events, and used the new addition
to an old building for political gatherings.
However, they described the large room as a
classroom addition. Haha.

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 Twila Paris - Oren III's sister - is on the Board of Regents
at Ecclesia College.
Paris family members use the college as their personal piggy-bank.

There are 12 counts of mail and wire fraud. They say Woods and Neal conspired to take bribes for steering the money to enrich Paris (he was paid $300,000 for his role at Ecclesia and his family together was paid $1 million, the indictment said). Paris paid the bribes through a consulting arrangement with a company set up by Shelton, the indictment says. Shelton in  turn paid legislators.

Source - http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2017/03/02/indictment-charges-former-sen-jon-woods-college-president-and-pal-in-kickback-scheme