East Valley Institute of Technology discovers 2011 lease that may have led to loss of millions

The East Valley Institute of Technology discovered a lease signed back in 2011 may have led to the loss of millions of dollars in rent.

The revelation of this lease has led the current administration to refer the matter to state and federal authorities.

The public school entered into an agreement with Adelante Healthcare, a community health care center located on the institute’s main campus. However, a review of the lease revealed that it may not have been approved by the EVIT Governing Board and the voters in the EVIT Career Technical Education District.

Superintendent Chad Wilson says the institute’s director of legal service brought the concerns to his attention.

“It was also curious to him that a lease was entered into for 40 years without having there be voter authorization, voter approval, because it's our belief that at the time in which that lease was executed, any lease that was over five years long needed voter approval," he said.

Renegotiations led to Adelante paying $60,000 per month to a third party and $2,700 to EVIT, an amount lower than the market value.

No one on the current school staff is involved in the negotiation or approval of the lease, according to the institute.