Bankruptcy Losses

[RememberSchiff]

An announcement on May 16 fleshed out those reports, as The Conservation Fund (TCF) proclaimed its partnership with the Greater New York Councils of Boy Scouts of America (GNYC) to preserve the majority of the land at TMR.

...

The multi-year conservation effort announced by TCF and GNYC will kick off with TCF’s purchase of nearly 6,100 acres of TMR land. A second phase will follow, bringing the total land sold to around 9,400 acres.

GNYC will keep its active summer camp facilities, an area encompassing 2,100 acres. It will also continue to use the conserved area for charitable purposes under an unspecified agreement.

...

TCF will work in the future with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for the permanent protection of the land, according to the release.

More at source link below map.

 

https://riverreporter.com/stories/ten-mile-river-conservation-announced,55557

[Wëlënakwsu]

18 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

One of our guys just finished National Camp School at Ten Mile River.  He said they announced they will be selling approximately 8,000 acres (of 12,000) .  No price mentioned...

Will be sold to State of New York??

Anyone got words on this??

For years most of the land and camp facilities have been unused as membership and summer camp attendence dwindle,  The Greater New York Councils negotiating with The Conservation Fund to preserve the land.  Status as of last month...  https://www.conservationfund.org/impact/press-releases/2678-effort-launched-to-conserve-historic-new-york-scout-camp

Happy to know the goal is to preserve it in a natural state

[RememberSchiff]

Camp Babcock-Hovey (Seneca Waterways Council, eastern shore of Seneca Lake, NY)

“Our volunteer Executive Board this evening made the difficult decision to begin the process of selling Camp Babcock-Hovey,” said the council in a letter sent to Scouting families on Tuesday, June 14. “The board made this choice only after nearly a year spent exploring ways to fulfill our obligation to the national BSA bankruptcy settlement, including a fully researched recommendation from the council’s Asset Committee.”

...

Others wondered out loud if the two remaining camps operated by the SWC- Camp Cutler in Ontario County and Massawepie Scout Camps in St. Lawrence County- would adequately serve the Western New York Scouting community.

...

The Seneca Waterways Council is expected to pay 8-MILLION dollars in cash towards the national Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy settlement, that was brought upon by thousands of sexual abuse allegations. In a statement, the Executive Board said after using all of its operating and capital cash assets, and other funds, they would not be able to afford to pay the 8-MILLION dollars without selling one of its three camps.

Sources:

https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/06/15/local-bsa-council-announces-camp-babcock-hovey-in-ovid-will-be-sold/

The source link below includes an explanation from the Executive Board.

https://www.fingerlakesdailynews.com/2022/06/15/1474035/

Edited June 15, 2022 by RememberSchiff

[RememberSchiff]

On 6/8/2022 at 9:41 PM, RememberSchiff said:

The Narragansett Council announced in May that its Executive Board decided to sell Camp Cachalot in South Carver, Massachusetts, to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and to sell Camp Norse in Kingston, Massachusetts, to a separate nonprofit with plans to lease the property. Proceeds from the real estate sales will be part of the council’s $6.45 million contribution to a $2.6 billion sex abuse survivors compensation trust established as a result of a class-action lawsuit against the National Boy Scouts of America.

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/boy-scouts-selling-massachusetts-camps-to-pay-for-lawsuit-settlements/2742661/

Update 6/17/22: Camp Cachalot, in Carver, Massachusetts, sold to Commonwealth of Massachusetts for $1.4M

“Water is crystal clear, there’s not a better place to go swimming, but it’s the group of people,” Camp Cachalot Alumni Association Chairman Brian Bastarache said. “I don’t know why, but there’s a unique group of people here who are dedicated to the facility and that sort of dedicates them to each other.”

https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/se-mass/popular-boy-scouts-camp-in-mass-forced-to-close/

[RememberSchiff]

On 5/1/2022 at 7:26 AM, RememberSchiff said:

Update Deer Lake 05/01/2022:

The other known bid on the property comes from Fortitude Capital LLC from New York City.

Fortitude is reportedly interested in making a housing development on the property.

The CEO of Fortitude is Margaret Streicker, who also sits on the Board of the Connecticut Yankee Boy Scout Council, the group that will ultimately choose the winning bid on the land.

https://www.wfsb.com/2022/05/01/nonprofit-fights-save-deer-lake-camp/

From my search, Margaret Streicker joined the Connecticut Yankee Council Executive Board after 2019 as her name is not listed for the 2019 members. Ms. Streicker founded Fortitude Capital in Jan, 2020.

Also, I found no mention of her involvement with Connecticut Yankee Council or Boy Scouts during her unsuccessful bid for Connecticut's 3rd U.S. Congressional seat in 2020.

https://www.ctyankee.org/council/council-staff-and-leadership/board-of-directors/2019-council-board/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-streicker-porres-975a8513a

 

Update  7/13/2022

"The future of Deer Lake in Killingworth, Connecticut, is still unclear two months after a May deadline for bids for the property."

- Connecticut Yankee Council (CYC) still in negotiation with two buyers - a developer (CYC Executive Board member) and a non-profit conservation group.

- ongoing lawsuit "whether there is a public trust in a dedicated bird sanctuary at Deer Lake"...“They were looking into the propriety of the charitable organization selling the property to a board member, an insider,” he said. “There’s a public aspect to [a charitably deductible, tax-deductible organization] operation, and private benefit to an insider is something that the [state] Attorney General’s office enforces.”

- "Connecticut AG office has an open investigation into the legality of the sale."

Source link:

https://www.wshu.org/connecticut-news/2022-07-13/months-later-deer-lake-sale-still-in-limbo

[InquisitiveScouter]

2 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:

Update  7/13/2022

"The future of Deer Lake in Killingworth, Connecticut, is still unclear two months after a May deadline for bids for the property."

- Connecticut Yankee Council (CYC) still in negotiation with two buyers - a developer (CYC Executive Board member) and a non-profit conservation group.

- ongoing lawsuit "whether there is a public trust in a dedicated bird sanctuary at Deer Lake"...“They were looking into the propriety of the charitable organization selling the property to a board member, an insider,” he said. “There’s a public aspect to [a charitably deductible, tax-deductible organization] operation, and private benefit to an insider is something that the [state] Attorney General’s office enforces.”

- "Connecticut AG office has an open investigation into the legality of the sale."

Source link:

https://www.wshu.org/connecticut-news/2022-07-13/months-later-deer-lake-sale-still-in-limbo

[RememberSchiff]

On 5/24/2022 at 8:51 PM, Eagle_Chris said:

Camp Schoellkopf

Cowlesville, NY
Wyoming County

https://www.thedailynewsonline.com/top_story/scout-council-plans-on-selling-camp-schoellkopf/article_8ccecc7b-12d7-5b2c-952e-8543756485ce.html

https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/boy-scouts-camp-sold-in-wyoming-county-buffalo-business-first/71-0c209370-7a0b-4e70-a25a-a1275c391096

https://www.landsofamerica.com/property/1373-Burroughs-Road-Cowlesville-New-York-14037/12915544/

 

The Greater Niagara Frontier Council's Camp Schoellkopf sold to Thalveg LLC of East Aurora* for $2.6 million on May 20, according to records filed with the Wyoming County Clerk’s Office.

Camp Schoellkopf is in the Town of Bennington in Wyoming County and includes 557 acres, multiple camp style buildings, two ponds, forests and oil, gas and mineral rights.

A Council representative said in a written statement to The Buffalo News in April that the undisclosed buyer at the time planned to continue to use the property for environmentally friendly recreation activities.

*Thalveg, LLC was incorporated on March 1, 2022, business address is a single-family home.

https://buffalonews.com/news/boy-scout-council-unloads-two-of-its-three-camps-for-3-2m-to-help-pay/article_d57fbf0e-147a-11ed-86bb-9bed7f29cb79.html

[RememberSchiff]

On 7/13/2022 at 5:34 PM, RememberSchiff said:

Update  7/13/2022

"The future of Deer Lake in Killingworth, Connecticut, is still unclear two months after a May deadline for bids for the property."

- Connecticut Yankee Council (CYC) still in negotiation with two buyers - a developer (CYC Executive Board member) and a non-profit conservation group.

- ongoing lawsuit "whether there is a public trust in a dedicated bird sanctuary at Deer Lake"...“They were looking into the propriety of the charitable organization selling the property to a board member, an insider,” he said. “There’s a public aspect to [a charitably deductible, tax-deductible organization] operation, and private benefit to an insider is something that the [state] Attorney General’s office enforces.”

- "Connecticut AG office has an open investigation into the legality of the sale."

Source link:

https://www.wshu.org/connecticut-news/2022-07-13/months-later-deer-lake-sale-still-in-limbo

Update 8/12/2022

KILLINGWORTH — A lawsuit aiming to protect a bird sanctuary at Deer Lake Scout Reservation, which is for sale, and a countersuit from the Boy Scouts both have been dropped.

Robert Brown, spokesman for the Connecticut Yankee Council, said the council is in negotiations with both Fortitude Capital, a real estate development firm, and Pathfinders, a local scouting group that runs the camp.

Margaret Streicker, CEO of Fortitude Capital LLC, sits on the board of the Yankee Council, but had recused herself, she has said.

When asked whether the Yankee Council was close to a decision on the sale, Brown said, “Not yet, we’re still in discussion with both parties to structure the best deal for Scouting.”

More details at source

https://www.nhregister.com/shoreline/article/killingworth-ct-deer-lake-boy-scouts-camp-17368037.php?t=89d685c3de

 

[RememberSchiff]

On 8/12/2022 at 11:01 AM, RememberSchiff said:

Update 8/12/2022

KILLINGWORTH — A lawsuit aiming to protect a bird sanctuary at Deer Lake Scout Reservation, which is for sale, and a countersuit from the Boy Scouts both have been dropped.

Robert Brown, spokesman for the Connecticut Yankee Council, said the council is in negotiations with both Fortitude Capital, a real estate development firm, and Pathfinders, a local scouting group that runs the camp.

Margaret Streicker, CEO of Fortitude Capital LLC, sits on the board of the Yankee Council, but had recused herself, she has said.

When asked whether the Yankee Council was close to a decision on the sale, Brown said, “Not yet, we’re still in discussion with both parties to structure the best deal for Scouting.”

More details at source

https://www.nhregister.com/shoreline/article/killingworth-ct-deer-lake-boy-scouts-camp-17368037.php?t=89d685c3de

 

Update to Update: 08/12/22

Deal near to preserve Deer Lake in Killingworth as open space

The Boy Scouts’ Connecticut Yankee Council, which owns the land, is in the final stage of negotiations to sell the land for $4.75 million to Pathfinders, Inc., a local nonprofit that has run camping programs at Deer Lake for many years under a lease agreement with the Scouts.

“We think we are very close,” said Ted Langevin, president of Pathfinders. The Scouts did not comment, but in a July 25 filing in a lawsuit involving the property, the Scouts’ lawyers asserted that the “contract for the sale of the Deer Lake property to Pathfinders is near completion.”...

To preserve the open space, Pathfinders had to top an offer that looked for a time like it would carry the day. In the spring, the Scouts’ Connecticut Yankee Council announced it was selling the land for $4.62 million to a major real estate developer, Margaret Streicker, who is also a board member of the council.  

https://ctmirror.org/2022/08/12/deer-lake-killingworth-ct-open-space-pathfinders-boy-scouts/

Following articles give an historical summary of council's sale process, at least what is known. IMHO, article raises questions about Executive Board transparency and ethics, My $0.02,

https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-deer-lake-conservation-connecticut-20220813-htjpjl3i5vepvj6sai6yxz6tji-story.html

Streicker adds her side of the story.

https://www.registercitizen.com/shoreline/article/Deal-near-to-preserve-Deer-Lake-in-Killingworth-17372949.php

Edited August 15, 2022 by RememberSchiff
add another article link

[T2Eagle]

17 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:

Following article gives an historical summary of council's sale process, at least what is known. IMHO, article raises questions about Executive Board transparency and ethics, My $0.02,

 

I have friends who are board members and pros, and though I think of all of them as people of good character, transparency has always been to me a big problem with their decision making.  Just because you have the position doesn't mean you posses all the wisdom regarding the position.  IMHO Board Meetings should all be open to the public, and decisions should all be removed from the Executive Committee and put before the full board and the CORs.  If your reasoning, discussions, and decisions can't stand up to the light of day than they are inherently suspect and probably flawed. , 

[Eagle94-A1]

Saw this on several friends' FB pages.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8396-Boy-Scout-Rd-Bailey-NC-27807/2061896886_zpid/?

 

EDITED: only way to tell it was a Boy Scout camp is the name of the road and the lake's name.

Edited August 17, 2022 by Eagle94-A1

[mrjohns2]

57 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Saw this on several friends' FB pages.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8396-Boy-Scout-Rd-Bailey-NC-27807/2061896886_zpid/?

 

EDITED: only way to tell it was a Boy Scout camp is the name of the road and the lake's name.

Also 

[Eagle94-A1]

Didn't see that pic. I know they have a photosat map of the camp that was anonymously donated. Wondering if the donor will take it back.

 

[RememberSchiff]

On 7/10/2021 at 6:14 AM, RememberSchiff said:

So much for "The Council Executive Board will meet on August 19th to decide if the sale should move forward." , sounds like the decision has been made.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2021/07/09/grand-canyon-council-boy-scouts-america-plan-sale-arizona-land/7922406002/

 

Update Aug 23, 2022

Arizona’s Grand Canyon Council dropped plans to sell Camp Geronimo after parents and former Scouts ignited an outcry.

“At that time, the best way that we could meet an obligation to fund our council's contribution to the Boy Scouts of America Settlement Fund was to contribute Geronimo and some additional cash,” Price said. 

“Since that time, we've had the benefit that the Chapter 11 case has taken longer than expected,” Price said. “That's given us more time to continue studying our camps and our facilities.

“We were unhappy with the previous decision, but it was sort of the best of a lot of bad options,” Price said. “And now that we know more about the situation and some of the dynamics have changed slightly, we now have a new path that allows us to keep Camp Geronimo.”

On July 20, the council announced (video above) it would keep Camp Geronimo open.

...

The Grand Canyon Council is still required to contribute $7 million toward this settlement. Price said that the council will use some cash it has from the sale of Little Grand Canyon Ranch near New River about two years ago.

The council is still planning to sell about 13 acres of the Heard Scout Pueblo's 500 acres in south Phoenix. And it is in the early stages of finding ways to monetize Camp Raymond, its 160-acre camp 30 miles outside of Flagstaff between the Kaibab and Coconino national forests, Price said.

...

More at source

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/08/23/boy-scouts-camp-geronimo-arizona-remain-open/7853416001/

@satl8

Edited August 23, 2022 by RememberSchiff

[RememberSchiff]

On 6/24/2021 at 12:05 PM, RememberSchiff said:

Update June 18, 2021.

The lawsuit filed by the Maine state AG’s office earlier this year :

1. alleges the council’s efforts to sell the camp to raise funds to help get out of debt violate the terms of the deed to the Great Pond property in place since the spot was donated by Dr. George Averill in the 1940s as a place where Scouts could camp.

2.  seeks to prevent the council from using proceeds from the proposed sale of Camp Bomazeen to pay the council’s operating expenses, creditors or debt. The suit also declares that any proceeds from that potential sale be held in trust “for the purposes of directly supporting camping activities for Boy Scouts in the Pine Tree Council Region, with a preference for Boy Scouts from central Maine.”

More at source link:

https://www.centralmaine.com/2021/06/18/attorney-general-camp-bomazeen-supporters-sue-pine-tree-council-of-boy-scouts/

Update 8/24/2022 Camp Bomazeen, Maine:

“The Court finds that (Pine Tree Council’s) proposed use of the proceeds to benefit the PTC itself and pay off unrelated debts is inconsistent with the trust purposes,” the document read. “If PTC sells the property, the proceeds must not only be used for the Boy Scouts of America in general, but also for ‘camping purposes … and especially for the troops and members of the Boy Scouts of America in the central part of the State of Maine.'”

The deed refers to a charitable trust that was created by George Averill in 1944.  As a result, Maine Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy ruled, Camp Bomazeen “remains in trust” and “the proposed use of the sale proceeds would violate the terms of that Trust.”

PTC plans to appeal to the State Supreme Court.

https://www.centralmaine.com/2022/08/24/proceeds-of-belgrade-camp-sale-must-go-toward-central-maine-scouting-and-not-paying-down-debt-court-rules/