Ascendigo makes its case and the opposition doesn’t

I’m a full-time resident in Missouri Heights impacted by the proposed Ascendigo educational facility. After countless hours of due diligence and having my questions answered personally on site by CEO Peter Bell and COO Dan Richardson, I was able to make an informed decision. I am in full support of this edu-facility to have a permanent home in my backyard to continue their selfless commitment to the autistic community.

A few matters of concern regarding the “nonprofit” Keep MO Heights Rural (KMOHR).

I received a solicitation in my mailbox from KMOHR. This solicitation was not delivered by USPS personnel. KMOHR paid for a bulk postage mailing, but failed to address each mailing to circulate back through USPS for delivery. These solicitations were placed by volunteers into hundreds of Missouri Heights mailboxes.

Do I respect the opinions and concerns of my neighbors on this matter? Yes.

Do I want a random neighbor opening my mailbox to see federally protected information? No.

Upon numerous requests to the registered agent of KMOHR (of what I thought should be public information for a nonprofit prior to donating funds), it appears transparency and accountability is not applicable to KMOHR. As of May 5, there was no IRS record of a nonprofit corporation named Keep MO Heights Rural. As of May 12, KMOHR has raised $20,745 from my neighbors for their opposition cause via GoFundMe.

Two days prior to the KMOHR site tour protest, my personal Nextdoor account was disabled by a protester that is also a member of our HOA board and an admin for Nextdoor. After four months of direct, personal insults from the president of KMOHR, I respectfully responded. Duly noted. If you think differently and express an opinion other than KMOHR, you will be deleted.

The elevated level of cutthroat from KMOHR literally turns my stomach. KMOHR demands transparency from Ascendigo, yet, KMOHR is hiding behind a law firm. I’m thankful I didn’t donate. In my opinion, renting a crane to raise a large opposition sign during a protest in front of elected officials isn’t money well spent.

Michelle Ferguson-Cook

Carbondale