Morning View’s 500+ Acres: Are the Letters of Intent Already Expired?

Based on the publication dates of previous Dixon Patch stories, we have learned that some of the letters of intent to sell land to Morning View have already expired. 

To confirm, we asked Morning View CEO Carpenter about it:

“A few of them are,” she said. “But we got them extended and we’re fine. We’re on the seventh or eighth round with attorneys” and landowners. 

But our conversations with some landowners suggest that there has been very little interaction with Morning View in recent months, let alone detailed conversations with attorneys about the land transactions.

Former Councilmember Michael Ceremello was the guy who initially welcomed Carpenter to Dixon and got the project rolling, but their relationship ended last fall when Morning View opposed Measure N, which Ceremello supported.

“She says she has all these things under contract,” Ceremello said in a phone interview. “It’s an absolute lie.”

After Measure N, Carpenter ceased all communication with Ceremello and the Independent Voice, for which Ceremello writes a column. She told Dixon Patch many times that Ceremello and Independent Voice publisher Dave Scholl were trying to kill the deal by encouraging landowners to jack up prices, which she says caused major delays.

We asked Ceremello about his interaction with landowners.

“I gave advice,” he said. “I know some of the landowners. I told them that at this point it’s between you and Carissa Carpenter. It’s your business. What you think the land is worth is your opinion. We never suggested that anybody jack up their prices.”

Eventually Carpenter got the letters of intent signed, but Ceremello has alleged many times that no progress is being made and landowners have rarely spoken with Morning View as the project has sputtered in recent months.

“She’s trying to play hardball without a baseball,” Ceremello said. “I think she has a death wish about getting this off the ground because for 15 years she’s just kept promising.”

While Carpenter acknowledged that some letters of intent have expired, she says that Morning View hopes to have some big news for the community as early as next week.

Share your thoughts below.