Yankee Clipper Council Properties Study Committee
NOTICE OF EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING TO CONSIDER PROPERTY
SALE
To: All Volunteer Scout Leaders in Yankee Clipper Council
From: John R. Skelton, Council President
Date: February 12, 2007
As most members of the Yankee Clipper Council Scouting family
know, over the past several years we have received several unsolicited
purchase offers for our Camp properties. Following inquiries,
first from the Town of Raymond and later from the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church), in March
2005 we appointed a “Properties Study Committee” to evaluate
all of our Council’s properties and to make a recommendation
for consideration by the Council’s Executive Board. After significant
study, including conducting eight fireside chats with hundreds
of volunteer Scouters, the Committee has completed its Report
and Recommendation. You can read the entire Report, the proposed
resolution and supporting documents which have been posted to
our Council web site. As many of you know, there is much additional
information concerning the Committee’s work which has been posted
on our Council web site.
Properties Study Committee
Report and Recommendations
Report Appendix
Tab 1
Tab 2
Tab 3
Tab 4
Tab 5
Tab 6
Tab 7
On February 6, 2007, and as reflected in its Report, the
Committee unanimously voted to present a recommendation to the
Executive Board to sell Camp Onway to the Mormon Church for
$2.8 million. The Committee’s report describes further the terms
of the proposed sale and the recommended use of the proceeds.
Subsequently, on February 8, 2007 this recommendation was reviewed
by the Council’s Executive Committee, and the Executive Committee
also endorsed the Committee’s Report and Recommendation.
The sale of a camp property presents a very emotional and
difficult decision for our Executive Board, and indeed our Council.
I have called for the Executive Board to consider the Committee’s
recommendation and vote on the proposed resolution at its meeting
on Thursday evening, March 22, 2007, at 6:30 pm. The meeting
will be held at First United Methodist Church, 57 Peter Street,
North Andover. While scouting volunteers are welcome to attend
and observe this meeting of the Executive Board, the meeting
will not be conducted as an open forum. If any Scouter wants
to comment on the Report and Recommendation or otherwise offer
a point of view on the proposed resolution for the Executive
Board to consider, you may do so by sending your comments, in
writing, to the Executive Board by e-mail at
yccexecbd@bsamail.org.
Any e-mail sent to that address up to 5:00 p.m. on March 21,
2007 will be forwarded to all members of the Executive Board
for their consideration prior to the March 22 meeting. You may
also contact any member of the Executive Board prior to the
meeting to express any views you may have, although by providing
written input via our email address gives all Board members
the benefit of your comments.
This is obviously an important decision for the Council.
Please take the time to review the entire Report and Recommendation,
the proposed resolution, the supporting documents as well as
all of the information posted on our website concerning the
work of the Properties Committee as our Council prepares to
address this most important issue. Thank you.
Notice of Executive
Board Meeting to Consider Property Sales - Feb 12, 2007
Properties Study Committee
Report and Recommendations - Feb 9, 2007
Report Appendix
Tab 1
Tab 2
Tab 3
Tab 4
Tab 5
Tab 6
Tab 7
|
Greater Lowell District
- Properties Issues - 2nd Fireside Chat - Nov 6, 2006
Place: Trinity Lutheran Church, 170 Old Westford Rd., Chelmsford,
MA |
|
September 28, 2006 - Report
on the Onway 13 RFP Process |
|
September 28, 2006 - Properties
Committee Report |
October 10, 2006 - North
Essex District - Fireside Chat (in place of our
October Roundtable meeting)
Place: First United Methodist Church, 57 Peters Street,
North Andover, MA |
June 28, 2006 - North Shore
District - Fireside Chat - Lone Tree Scout Reservation
Place: Second Congregational Church, Lower Hall, 35 Conant
Street, Beverly, MA 01830 |
June 21, 2006 - Lone Tree
District - Fireside Chat - Lone Tree Scout Reservation
Place: Haverhill Citizens' Center, Room 45, Second Floor,
10 Welcome Street, Haverhill, MA, 01830 |
April 28, 2006 Position Paper/Q&A
on offer for Lone Tree Reservations
Onway Forestry
Project Letter |
March
28, 2006 - Letter of Interest from Mormon Church regarding purchase
of Lone Tree Scout Reservation
On March 28, 2006, the Yankee Clipper Council (YCC) received
a letter from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
(Mormon Church) expressing interest in the purchase of Lone
Tree Scout Reservation at Kingston, New Hampshire. The letter
of interest is not a formal offer to purchase, but rather is
a non-binding communiqué from the Mormon Church expressing their
desire to pursue the purchase of the property for a Girls’ Church
Camp.
The letter proposes a purchase price of $2.9 million, which
is the highest and best use appraised value for the property
according to an independent appraisal authorized by the YCC
and conducted earlier this year. The Mormon Church also indicated
that the YCC could continue to utilize Lone Tree Scout Reservation
for one or two weeks each summer for Cub Scout day camp/resident
camp, and that the property would continue to be available on
weekends throughout the year for unit, district and council
activities.
Both the Mormon Church and the Yankee Clipper Council intend
to evaluate the feasibility of this proposed arrangement. The
letter of inquiry is currently being reviewed by the YCC ad
hoc properties study committee chaired by Larry Healey and Robert
Lavoie. Over the course of the next few months, a process of
due diligence will be undertaken by both the Church and the
Council to study all options.
The ad hoc properties study committee and the Yankee Clipper
Council executive board welcome comments and suggestions by
e-mail at yccexecbd@bsamail.org
or by letters mailed to YCC Properties Study Committee, 36 Amesbury
Road, Haverhill, MA 01830.
|
January
26, 2006 - Report of the Properties Committee
The Committee has continued its Due Diligence work
with respect to the Onway 13. The Environmental Site Assessment
will be in written form shortly; the basic findings are that
there are no areas of environmental concern in this part of
Camp.
The property Real Estate Appraisal is underway, and should be
finalized by early February.
The timber harvest is in progress with respect to Onway 13;
however, unseasonably warm weather this winter has hampered
operations. With the return of winter earlier this week, prognosis
is for the completion of the timber harvest in February.
The Town of Raymond continues to show serious interest in purchasing
Onway 13; the town’s interest is basically to preserve its well
field protection area the town’s drinking water wells are apparently
adjacent to and down gradient of Onway 13.
The Committee next plans to meet on February 28, 2006, and further
expects to make a more detailed report to the Executive Board
at its March 2006 meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
PROPERTIES COMMITTEE
By its co-chairs, Larry Healey & Robert Lavoie
|
| Interim
Report and Recommendation The Yankee
Clipper Council’s Ad Hoc Properties Study Committee (the “Committee”)
submits the following Interim Report and Recommendation for
consideration by the Executive Board at its meeting on October
27, 2005.
Since its formation in March, 2005, the Property
Study Committee has met several times to review and consider
various aspects of the Council’s properties. During the late
spring and early summer, the Committee conducted “fireside chats”
throughout the Council to provide our members with an opportunity
for input as to the Council’s properties, including a potential
sale of Camp property. It was a productive and informative process.
We also recently received a report from the Council Camping
Committee responding to various questions posed by Jim Higgs
and John Skelton concerning potential camp sale.
While the Committee is continuing its evaluation
of the Council’s properties and assets and based on such further
analysis and evaluation intends to prepare a more complete report
and recommendation for the Board’s consideration, the Committee
has identified certain interim actions which it recommends the
Board implement. Each of these items were reviewed and considered
by the Council Executive Committee at its meeting on October
18, 2005. The Executive Committee recommends approval by the
Board.
First, attached hereto is a proposed resolution
concerning “due diligence” and the potential sale of a 13 acre
parcel of property located at Camp Onway. As reflected in the
resolution, the Committee is not necessarily recommending that
the property be sold. Rather, the Committee simply seeks authorization
to conduct the necessary due diligence to evaluate such a sale.
In reviewing the past, current or future use of this parcel,
any and all activities can be supported within other areas of
Camp Onway. The risk and liability of having youth cross a paved
roadway, the under utilized nature of this council asset, and
the limited impact to the camp program at Onway have been taken
into consideration and discussed at length.
In addition, real estate professionals and
ad hoc committee members agreed that the potential sale of this
13 acre parcel will not impact the value of the main Camp Onway
property. Raymond town officials have verbally supported such
an action, should the council decide to pursue this option.
Second, the committee believes that it is
necessary for the Council to conduct a formal appraisal of all
of its camp properties and is currently requesting proposals
from appropriate professionals for such appraisals.
Third, the Committee believes that the Council
should proceed with a plan for a timber harvest at its camp
properties. Such a harvest is consistent with our long term
conservation plan and professionally recognized best practices.
Since the unsolicited offer by the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church) to acquire the Camp Onway
property, the Council has recognized the need to develop a long-range
plan on all of its physical assets, in order to best serve our
own constituents for years to come. While the original mission
of the Committee had been to respond to the unsolicited offer,
the work has expanded to consider all assets of the council,
e.g. camps, properties, equipment, offices, etc.
The Mormon Church continues to express an
interest in acquiring one of our camp properties for their own
camping needs, and the Committee has the charge to respond.
However, in order to respond appropriately, the long-range needs
of the Council must be included, as does input and feedback
from our own Scouting members and friends. The three recommendations
above are part of this evolving process. The ad hoc committee
is accepting feedback on this process from Scouting volunteers
and friends by e-mail at yccexecbd@bsamail.org or by written
letters mailed to the Scout Service Center at 36 Amesbury Road
in Haverhill, MA 01830.
Yankee Clipper Council Boy Scouts of America
Resolution
First, to authorize the Properties Study Committee to
proceed with certain “due diligence” related to a potential
sale of a thirteen (13) acre parcel located at Camp Onway,
Raymond, NH. (the “Onway 13”) The Onway 13 parcel is located
across the asphalt Onway Lake Road and is not directly attached
to the main Camp property. The due diligence to be conducted
with respect to this property includes:
(1) Appraisal;
(2) Title Search;
(3) Land Survey;
(4) Environmental Assessment;
(5) Consultation with at least two (2) local Real Estate
Brokers;
(6) Establishment of a marketing strategy and proposed pricing;
and
(7) Development of proposals for the utilization of the
net proceeds from any sale to (i) capital, properties and
maintenance projects, and/or (ii) endowment funds
Second, to approve funding for the Onway 13 due diligence,
with an estimated cost of not more than $7,000, subject
to the following conditions. The funds are to be borrowed
from the Council’s Endowment Funds and are to be reimbursed,
with 6.5% interest, at the earlier of: (1) Capital funds
(fund No. 2) become available from any source; or (2) the
proceeds from sale of the Onway 13 property.
Third, to direct that prior to any open marketing of
this property, an additional vote of the Council’s Executive
Board shall be required.
Fourth, to authorize Randy D. Larson, as Scout Executive,
CEO and Secretary of the Yankee Clipper Council, to sign
on behalf of the corporation any required documents related
to borrowing, the various points of the due diligence set
forth herein and, upon further authorization of the Executive
Board as required herein, the potential sale of the Onway
13 property.
pdf
version of the above report and resolution
|
|
| The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Offers to Purchase
Camp Onway On March 10,2005, the Yankee Clipper
Council received an unsolicited offer from Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints (the Mormon Church) to purchase Camp Onway
for approximately $2.2 million.
At the March 24, 2005 meeting, the Yankee Clipper Council
Executive Board established an Ad Hoc Properties Study Committee
to evaluate the most effective and best use of our council properties.
It is the board’s intent and desire to keep the membership completely
informed of the process and progress of this committee.
The Executive Board and the Properties Study Committee members
welcome input, suggestions, thoughts, and ideas from Scouting
volunteers, Friends of Scouting, Scouting alumni, and the public
in general. A special e-mail address has been established so
you can offer your ideas, thoughts, and concerns.
yccexecbd@bsamail.org
Input by mail should be addressed to Executive Board/Properties
Committee, Yankee Clipper Council, 36 Amesbury Road, Haverhill,
MA 01830.
|
|
| The Yankee Clipper Council’s
Strategic Plan includes the need to determine if the best possible
use is being made of all of our office, camp and property holdings.
Do our properties serve the program needs of our Cub Scout,
Boy Scout and Venturing youth? To this end, a review by the
Northeast Region of the Boy Scouts of America was conducted
in the fall. The final written report reached the Haverhill
office this month and is available here in its entirety.
Northeast Region YCC Properties
Report We also encourage you to read the full
Position Statement
on Council Properties which explains in depth the goal
and strategic purpose of the Properties Study Committee. We
hope all interested parties will provide helpful input and ideas
as we consider the best use for our camps and service centers.
Everyone recognizes that discussing property
is never easy and often filled with great emotion. Please know
that the Executive Board and the Properties Study Committee
is sensitive to this and thus the process will be thorough,
objective, with opportunity for input by all.
|
Adobe Reader® Free software lets anyone view and
print Adobe PDF files.
|
|
