Property Updates

This is an exciting time for our Council as we look forward to creating an environment that will take Girl Scouting into the second century and beyond.  We thank everyone who joined us for the Master Site Planning session at the Macedonia Service Center on January 12.  The meeting was open to all members, girls and adults, interested in taking part in the planning of the “start-up” phase. Approximately 60 members joined us for that session.

The committee was impressed with the details you provided in the small group sessions.  Your input reinforced what we learned from past surveys.  For those of you who were unable to attend, participants were asked to identify ideas as well as concerns related to future camp development in these five areas:


 *   Sleeping Units
 *   Multipurpose Building
 *   Aquatics Center
 *   Site Programming
 *   Green Features

We are pleased to share the survey results and project notes with you, and encourage more of our members to participate in the planning process and future focus groups. At the Master Site Planning session, girls told us they want an indoor rock wall and zip line, an aquatic area with rainbow lights and a heated pool, a low ropes course and sledding hills.  Some of the recurring themes include green space, water activities, and amphitheater. As the planning progresses, the committee will continue to be guided by your concerns and creative ideas.

Master Site Planning Session [data by group]

Project Notes Summary



Click on the links below to view the plans and maps. 

Master Plan from Annual Meeting October 2012

Camp Ledgewood Start up and Phase I Map

Camp Timberlane Start up and Phase I Map

Camp Sugarbush Start up and Phase I Map

If you have questions or need further information email properties@gsneo.org.

Camp Properties Update - October 22, 2012

GSNEO has successfully finalized a lease with Chesapeake Energy for the Oil & Gas Rights at Great Trail Camp.  Net proceeds will be restricted to improve the Camps.

Camp Properties Update - October 15, 2012

GSNEO Judgement Entry 10092012

Excerpts from ruling October 9, 2012

GSNEO successfully responded to litigation seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction to restrain GSNEO from selling camps.  Below are the claims made by the Plaintiffs and excerpts from the Judge’s formal ruling.  The formal ruling is attached.

Camp Properties Update - July 30, 2012

Property Update 7-30-2012
Property Update FAQ 7-30-2012

Girl Scouts of North East Ohio and the Western Reserve Land Conservancy have reached an agreement on the structure of a transaction that would provide for the acquisition of Camp Lejnar and Camp Crowell/Hilaka. Western Reserve Land Conservancy strives to maintain and restore healthy habitats throughout Northeastern Ohio. The Land Conservancy considers these two properties to have significant conservation value and is actively exploring a variety of partnership and funding opportunities designed to conserve as much of the unique natural areas and biologically diverse habitat as is feasible.

GSNEO continues the process of acquiring an oil and gas lease at Great Trail Camp in Carroll County. This lease could generate income and camp would be available for Girl Scout use in the future.
As directed by the GSNEO Board, the net proceeds from the sales of the camps will be used to improve GSNEO camps. Plans call for performing deferred maintenance, safety upgrades, and enhancements, including the addition of more specialized programs.

“Our goal always has been, and will continue to be, to ensure that as many girls as possible have access and opportunities to experience camping while developing leadership skills and building friendships in a variety of camp settings,” said Joan Villarreal, Board Chair. “We are committed to providing superior leadership development programs and opportunities for girls now and in the future.”

Camp Properties Update – July 11, 2012

Girl Scouts of North East Ohio (GSNEO) has reached an agreement with an individual for the sale of Camp Pleasant Valley.  This individual plans to retain the property for his personal and family use.  Camp closing ceremonies took place earlier this spring.

Negotiations continue for Camps Crowell/Hilaka and Lejnar with an organization that is dedicated to preserving land and the natural resources in Ohio.

GSNEO continues the process of acquiring an oil and gas lease at Great Trail Camp in Carroll County. This lease could generate income and camp would be available for Girl Scout use in the future.

As directed by the GSNEO Board, the net proceeds from the sales of the camps will be used to improve GSNEO camps.  Plans call for performing deferred maintenance, safety upgrades, and enhancements, including the addition of more specialized programs.

“Our goal always has been, and will continue to be, to ensure that as many girls as possible have access and opportunities to experience camping while developing leadership skills and building friendships in a variety of camp settings,” said Joan Villarreal, Board Chair.  “We are committed to providing superior leadership development programs and opportunities for girls now and in the future.”

April 13, 2012 Property Updates - Click here to download

Friday April 13, 2012

Leading up to our Spring Meeting of the General Assembly, we will be making every effort to
provide up-to-the-minute information regarding the status of the properties, as well as the current
ballot initiatives. You will find the most recent status of the camp properties listed at the end of this
message.

Keeping in mind the tremendous work that has been done at all of our properties, the friendships
built, and the cherished memories that our current and former members have with each camp, we have
worked diligently to assess our present camping situation while looking for ways to enhance the camping
experience now and into the future.

While we maintain the desire to create opportunities to attract new campers, it is no secret,
like other Girl Scout councils across the country, GSNEO is experiencing some financial strain—due to
deferred maintenance on the camps, necessary upgrades and improvements. In light of this, we have
determined that selling and/or repurposing some of the camps is the course of action that will best
meet the needs of current and future Girl Scouts.

We will continue to communicate with you on a regular basis regarding the camp properties and
other GSNEO business. In the meantime, please visit GSNEO.org for the most up-to-date information.

Sincerely,

Daisy L. Alford-Smith, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Girl Scouts of North East Ohio

On behalf of Joan Villarreal
Chairperson of the Board of Directors
Girl Scouts of North East Ohio

Camp Sale Status: 4.13.12

Camp Pleasant Valley - Seneca County
Up for sale, however GSNEO has not received
an acceptable offer to date.

Camp Crowell/Hilaka - Summit County
Because the majority of the camp is zoned as
a conservation district, GSNEO is in serious
negotiations with a buyer, whom we believe is
committed to not developing the properties.

Camp Lejner Lake County
GSNEO is in serious negotiations with a buyer,
whom we believe is committed to not developing
the properties.

Camp Great Trail - Carroll County
Negotiating to lease the mineral rights so the
property does not have to be sold and can be used
for Girl Scout purposes to the extent determined
to be advisable by the Board of Directors in the
future.

Girl Scouts of North East Ohio retain additional camp property

Macedonia, October 20, 2011 – On Monday, the Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio (GSNEO) voted to retain Camp Sugarbush, in Trumbull County, after several meetings with the master planners, Brandstetter Carroll Inc., during their sites analyses. “The board decided to give the master planners and property management experts the flexibility to consider and incorporate the visions, wishes and recommendations of our membership,” responded Dan A. Bragg, GSNEO chair of the board of directors. GSNEO requires more buildable space than Camps Ledgewood and Timberlane have to accommodate the ideas and visions from the member Town Hall meetings held in August, 2011. While the two properties do have significant total acreage and usable space for programming, GSNEO wants to ensure that their unique features are protected while we expand camping experiences for our girls.

Strategically, GSNEO is aggressively working to increase girl and adult memberships and expand programming opportunities. Girl membership growth continued in the 2011 fiscal year by 3%, adults by 1%. “The size of the sites are important not only for potential programming and housing capabilities, but also to provide appropriate perimeter buffer space to neighboring properties and public ways,” said Richard T. Parker, Brandstetter Carroll architect and project manager for GSNEO’s master plan. He added, “Maintaining the ‘Rustic’ environments was clearly articulated as important to the membership in the Town Hall meetings and by the board at the outset.”

Camp Sugarbush is the recommended camp to retain because: “It is geographically located in an area that has experienced significant growth and also has potential for new members. Based on the assessment information available, it is my recommendation Sugarbush should be part of the GSNEO’s outdoor program properties portfolio,” added Parker. This recommendation is consistent with the recommendation made by Glen Chin, property management consultant for the Girl Scouts of the USA, in 2009. It also aligns with the GSNEO staff recommendation made to the Properties Committee of the board in early 2011.

Parker continued, “Based on collected information this site should not require significant immediate improvement investment.” Camp Sugarbush is accredited by the American Camp Association.

Also on October 17, the board of directors voted to move forward with the sale of the remaining camp properties. Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for Camps Great Trail, Crowell/Hilaka, Pleasant Valley, and Lejnar will be released by December 1, 2011.

Girl Scouts of North East Ohio retain additional camp property press release

Board of Directors Letter to Delegates

Download the BOD Letter to Delegates

August 11, 2011

Dear GSNEO Delegates,

Thanks to all of you who were able to participate in the delegate conversations held over the past two weeks. We are pleased that many of you were able to join First Vice-Chair, Joan Villarreal, and staff for these discussions. The meetings were productive in allowing our delegates to express their views with Council representatives face to face, to critique the property decision process of the past few months, to help the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio (GSNEO) Board of Directors improve communications, and to share "blue sky" ideas about our future.

It is clear that the way this decision was announced and presented at the April 16 General Assembly meeting was a shock to most in the room. We can’t turn back that clock, but will remember forever that Girl Scouts crave straight talk and want discussion not surprise announcements.

We will continue to communicate with you on a regular basis. Camping will always be the focus for the enhanced properties at Camps Ledgewood and Timberlane. Rather than Premier Camps and Leadership Centers we can think of them as camps with additional multi-purpose program capacity. The FAQ’s updated on our website last week have expanded explanations of what this means in context of our camps. The properties will serve the multi-functional needs of Council including value-added complimentary program experiences for girls and volunteers.

The Board’s decision to sell five Girl Scout camp properties stands and the master planning process will continue. We anticipate that one or two camps will be sold before the end of 2012 and the remaining camps will be sold on a rolling basis over the next two to three years. However, if we receive a viable offer to purchase any one of the five camps, that offer will be considered. In early 2012 we will know if any unsold camps will be open for programming.

GSNEO has much work to do concerning our properties, recruitment and retention of members, nurturing our girls and the celebration of our 100th birthday. None of us can do this alone. Our success depends on YOU, our girls, our volunteers, our staff and board.

We look forward to seeing you at one of the Member Visioning Sessions (August 20 or 27). We encourage you to bring a girl member with you to be part of designing our future outdoor experiences. Online registration opened August 3 and continues. Please be a part of this transformative GSNEO initiative. Again, thank you for your commitment to Girl Scouts today and tomorrow. You may contact me if you have any questions at dbragg@gsneo.org.

Yours in Girl Scouting,
Dan A. Bragg, Chair
On behalf of the GSNEO Board of Directors

Brandstetter Carroll, Inc. Selected Master Planner