Are the feoffees of Ipswich Grammar School a public or private entity?

Answer 1

According to a ruling made by the Essex county District Attorney's office, in 2006, the Feoffees of the Grammar School is a Governmental Body. Because of the fact that they are a Governmental Body, the Feoffees of the Grammar School are Subject to the Open Meeting Law.

The Assistant District Attorney Charles Grimes still states , in 2010, that the Feoffees of the Grammar School are a Governmental Body and subject to the Open Meeting Law , Chapter 39, sections 23A and 23B.

(However, although District Attorney Office legal credentials are typically excellent, their decisions do not actually have the force of law. An enforceable decision on this and many other matters should finally come from resolution of the Feoffees vs. School Committee litigation.)

The Massachusetts Attorney General's office has certified forms from the Feoffees of the Grammar School are a Public Charity.

The Feoffees lawyer has made public statements year after year that The Feoffees of the Grammar School is a private trust that owns Little Neck, and is not subject to oversight by any Ipswich Boards. The Feoffees of the Grammar School are unknown to the Federal IRS because the Feoffees of the Grammar School have never applied for, nor have they ever received Tax Exempt Status to this day, in 2010.

The Feoffees of the Grammar School decided amongst themselves, in private sessions, that they have Tax Exempt Status

Feoffees of the Grammar School have used the Town of Ipswich's tax identification number until recently,

The Chairman of the Ipswich Selectmen was also one of the 4 Feoffees of the Grammar School while he served on the Ipswich Finance Committee, and then served as Ipswich Acting Town Manager and an Ipswich Selectman, he lost a recent vote for re-election to serve as a Selectman.

Two of the 4 feoffees (or trustees) include the First National Bank of Ipswich president (now retired) and the director of a Trust known as the Proprietors of Great Neck, directly attached to Little Neck.

The fourth feoffee is the former guard at the entrance to Little Neck during the summer months when the tenants are enjoying or renting out their "cottages".