Lake Metroparks Dialogue Session

On August 17^th and 19^th, 2006, we held Dialogue Sessions to discuss with members our current opportunity to partner w/ Lake Metroparks to conserve greenspace at Camp Lejnar. They have entered into such agreements with other not-for-profit camps close to ours, including the Boy Scout Camp Stigwandish, and have asked us if we are interested in doing so as well.

Because we share with them a philosophy that values the outdoors and its importance to the growth and development of young people, we thought it worth pursuing. And because we recognize the importance of including our membership in this discussion, we scheduled these Dialogue Sessions. At both sessions, conversations were lively and wide-ranging. Below are the major points we covered:

First off, we are not selling the camp, nor renting or leasing any part of it to Lake Metroparks. Rather, we have been invited to enter into a CONSERVATION EASEMENT agreement with them for a yet-to-be-determined portion of the property.

Basically, we would enter a legally binding agreement w/ Lake Metroparks for the following: Lake Metroparks would pay a specific sum of money to GSLEC for our

1. promise to maintain a yet-to-be-determined portion of the camp property in its natural state, and to
2. grant Lake Metroparks the right to visit that portion of the property at agreed-upon times to make sure this happened.

(We could also add other provisions to our mutual benefit, but the above are the basics of such an agreement).

Our girls will continue to have access to all parts of the camp, and most likely will notice no changes. The easement only limits our right to develop a portion of the property.

No, not as part of the Conservation Easement agreement. Programmatic partnerships would be arranged as separate agreements.

NO – we continue to own the camp and hold title to it. It remains our private property – and anyone who enters without our permission will continue to be considered a trespasser. However, by entering into this agreement we give up our right to develop a portion of it. That’s why it’s appropriate that we receive financial compensation.

NO! It remains Camp Lejnar - our private property.

The property survey and appraisal is typically paid for by the purchaser (in this case, Lake Metroparks). However, we will incur fees for our council attorney’s services in reviewing the contract, etc.

That will be determined based on the property’s appraisal and by the acreage to be included in the easement.

So far member feedback is similar to current board thinking that the proceeds would be invested as a fund to provide for upkeep and improvements of both camp properties, with the principal invested and earnings used as priorities dictated.

Usually, the property owner (in this case, GSLEC) maintains the property. However we can mutually agree to share some of these duties – and this would be made part of the contract.

It continues and is ongoing. It passes to whoever may subsequently purchase the property down through the years. It provides for the preservation of greenspace in perpetuity.

This is hard to predict, and will depend on, among other things, the value of greenspace to the subsequent purchaser.

So far, members attending the Dialogue Sessions agree we should further investigate this offer.

• NO! But the deadline for this initial opportunity is September 5^th!
• Email any or all of us to offer your opinion, or to ask questions:
• Board Chair – Betsy Nosse at BNosse@ameritech.net
• Board Property Committee Co-chair – Gail Raabe at graabe@nacs.net 
• Council CEO – Cheryl Goggans at CGoggans@gslec.org

Currently, our Property Committee is gathering information -- opinions of our members, conversations with Lake Metroparks contacts, as well as with other organizations who have similar agreements with Lake Metroparks. The Committee will then meet in early September to prepare a report either recommending that GSLEC go forward with negotiations or pass on this. They will present this report to the Board of Directors at our September 27^th meeting.

If the Board votes to go forward, we will invite representatives from Lake Metroparks to our Delegate Assembly on November 4^th, to offer our members the chance to discuss this with them in person, as well as in break-out sessions at this meeting. The break-out sessions will offer all members the chance to discuss this – not just Delegates.

Email them to any or all of the above persons – we’re interested in what you see as most important and most likely to increase the use of both camps!