It provides educational opportunities for children and college students. It provides tons of food for the Missoula Food Bank, food that goes to children who might otherwise do without. More than 1,000 Missoulians have visited the farm to learn more about its workings. And it provides a haven of bucolic green in a landscape that is quickly developing.
But the farm exists on land that belongs to Missoula County Public Schools. The 13-acre parcel is valuable, certainly, as farmland, but it likely represents millions of dollars to the district if it were sold for development.
Recently, as the farm looked to expand its operations a bit, the nonprofit evaluated the costs of its expansion against the time frame imposed by the lease.
“For us, it's pretty clear that the investment for working more land into the farm makes better sense if we can extend the lease,” said Aaron Brock, president of Garden City's board of directors and an employee of the Missoula Food Bank.
To that end, the city, Garden City Harvest and Mount Jumbo have asked the district to extend the lease for another 10 years, to 2020. That letter prompted a long, thoughtful meeting Thursday morning for members of the district's Property Ad Hoc Committee. That committee, made up of some district trustees and members of the community, makes recommendations to the district's board of trustees.
On Thursday, the committee sifted through the numerous possibilities raised by the request to extend the lease, an action farm director Josh Slotnick urged.
Slotnick framed in economic terms his argument that the school district is earning handsome returns on its property without selling it.
“You're experiencing a great return on your investment,” Slotnick, who teaches in the environmental studies department at the University of Montana, told the committee.
Committee members didn't necessarily disagree, but they did point out that the district does have economic needs that won't be paid for by the fact that the farm provides food to poor people. The district may look to raise $5 million to
$6 million over time for a vocational center, a business building and possible additions to elementary schools.
The farm, committee member Jim Sadler said, may be the district's most valuable, sellable asset.
“So here's our conflict,” he said.
Now, the district hasn't actually proposed selling the farm property, nor does it have an offer for the land, said Rick Johns, a district trustee. Still, the property's most valuable use isn't farming, at least where the district is concerned.
That said, farming does have a connection to the school district, which actually owns a farm, and the district is interested in a closer relationship.
Johns talked about continued exploration of a “farms to schools” program, a way to bring local produce into schools, as well as offer children the opportunity to interact with farmers. That opened a discussion over ways that Garden City and the district could work together toward both of those goals.
“We're excited to integrate more,” said Slotnick.
What Garden City isn't interested in is moving. The nonprofit has made a substantial investment at the PEAS farm - more than $150,000 - and believes the community is benefiting from its existence.
Trustee Jenda Hemphill said that if push came to shove for the district on money, she'd be more likely to sell other district property that isn't being put to such a beneficial use.
“If we have to liquidate, we might have other properties to consider,” said trustee Joe Toth.
By meeting's end, Superintendent Jim Clark said it was clear that while there was some interest in extending the city's lease, there was also interest in exploring other ways for the farm and the district to work together, on both education and providing food.
Both Clark and Slotnick said that was an ongoing conversation they'd be happy to continue having.
Reporter Michael Moore can be reached at 523-5252 or at mmoore@missoulian.com.
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