A chancery case aimed at dissolving a partnership that was hoping to bring more fine arts and agriculture education to the area proceeded before a visiting judge at the end of last month, resulting in the order of a sale of a building on the former MacMurray College Campus.
Tim Smith, president of the Esprit de Corps Academy, filed for dissolution of a partnership between he and Dr. Michael Woods, a current Morgan County Commissioner and president of the AGROWhood initiative through the Jacksonville Park Foundation back in May. Both sides have accused the other of financial wrongdoing and misuse of the partnership, according to court documents in the case.
The chancery case received a change of venue on August 13 after Morgan County Circuit Judge Chris Reif filed a motion of disqualification due to Woods being a county commissioner. The case was reassigned to Sangamon County Judge Christopher Perrin on August 18.
On September 22, a consent order was entered showing a signed agreement between Woods and Smith on part of the case. The agreement signed by Judge Perrin requires the property at 225 South Clay Avenue to be placed up for sale. The for sale sign would have to be shown within 30 days of the order being entered. The order also agrees that the licensed real estate agent in charge of the sale will be August Kleinschmidt of Garrison Group-Keller Williams. The order requires both Woods and Smith to comply with executing all documentation to the real estate company to facilitate the sale in a timely fashion.
The final requirement in the order is that the net proceeds of the sale will be held in escrow by Springfield law firm Gates Wise Schlosser & Goebel until the court orders distribution of the proceeds.
No future date has been set by the court, according to online court records.
Esprit de Corps Academy appears to be unaffected by the dissolved partnership and has continued operations in other quarters. Woods’ AGROWhood initiative also appears to be moving along at East Park and at the former Jacksonville Salvation Army citadel on West Douglas Avenue.