What you need to know
About The Missoula Osprey's Management
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Undaunted Malice: What you need to know About The Missoula Osprey's Management |
My family and I live down the street from the Osprey ballpark. A few years ago, the Osprey management abandoned their contractually-bound duty of keeping Hickory Street closed during events. As a result, our neighborhood became a shortcut for the ballpark patrons to speed through during and after the games.
Concerned with our safety, I asked the Osprey and the City to enforce their contract which says Hickory Street will be closed during events. When I did this, Matt Ellis, manager of the Missoula Osprey, childishly told Riverfront Neighborhood Group members that he would no longer communicate with our neighborhood, because of my actions. Did I say I was part of the neighborhood group? No. Did I act in a rude, threatening manner? No. I sent less than a half-dozen, entirely polite emails to Mr. Ellis. You can read them on this site in fact.
Because they chose to ignore my inquiries, I put up this website and started asking questions of our City Council, Minor League Baseball, and other interested parties. Our City Council members seemed determined to cater to Mr. Ellis's every desire without question, and without requiring him or Playball to obey the terms of the contract they signed with the city.
When they had to beg the City of Missoula to allow liens against the property that their stadium is on, they didn't want ANYONE to show up who might point out a few inconvenient facts. So, Matt Ellis, and his dad, Mike Ellis, owner of the Osprey, saw fit to file for a Restraining Order against me, to ensure that I would not be anywhere near them as they put on their act for the City Council. Seeing no objections, the City Council allowed them to use the property to secure $6 MILLION dollars.
The Restraining Order Petition they wrote up (viewable here on this site) is filled with lies, stating that I had threatened them, their staff, and their family. When I stood to face them in court, they sheepishly withdrew the petition, probably to avoid perjury charges.
I have asked the Missoula County Attorney to file charges against the Ellises for lying on a sworn document, which they did, and which I can quite easily prove. However, County Attorney Fred Van Valkenburg does not feel that there's enough evidence.
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October 2, 2007: Matt Ellis Reaches New Low! Yesterday the Missoulian printed a pathetic letter to the editor, accusing me of "incessantly harassing" everyone associated with the Osprey. Did Matt Ellis write this letter? I don't know. But I believe he recruited Linda McCarthy, head of the Missoula Downtown Association, to submit it. I believe this to be a man who does not have the courage to put his own name behind his lies. I pity anyone who is suckered into doing his dirty work for him. Seriously, this is sad. |
The Missoula Osprey Management would like you to believe this, but it's not true. Our neighborhood has been told to call 911 to complain about the noise during events. Not once have I ever called to complain, about anything. Other neighbors have gone to the ballpark to complain during events about noise. I haven't. When this ballpark was being conceived and planted in our neighborhood, I never complained or voiced any concerns whatsoever.
Absolutely not, not ever. I have, and continue my quest for justice with courtesy and dignity. It is sickening, and hard to believe, yes, but these people LIED to secure funds, at my expense. Remember, it's not the ballpark that I'm against, it's what I perceive to be callous disregard for the law, and aggressively hostile behavior by Missoula Osprey Management that I'm complaining about. Also note that if any of this were untrue, they would have taken legitimate legal action against me long ago for my mailings and this website. Of course they haven't, and can't. |