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PAST NEWS
11/1/01
Fire at Glen Gray
On Thursday, October 25, 2001, Rangers at the Jefferson and
Milton towers called in fire crews after spotting a fire at Camp Glen Gray. The
fire, which took more than 3 days to put out completely, caused damage to
roughly 24 acres of Glen Gray property. Most of the damage was limited to burnt
ground cover, leaving most trees unaffected.
However, the Troop 7 (Montclair) Cabin and cook shack were
burned to the ground. Only the vertical foundation supports and the
chimney remain. The fire did not progress much beyond that area, thanks to
an aerial water drop by a Fire Service Helicopter. No other buildings were
damaged, though Mothercroft and Old Guard were threatened.
Fire clean-up work is continuing.
Negotiations Continue
FOGG is in the midst of very positive, on-going negotiations
with TPL and Bergen County, who recognize our ability to manage the
property and continue its operation as a camp. There are several key issues to
work out with the County and the process is going very well. While there
is not much substantive news to report just yet, FOGG trustees and Bergen County
are both enthusiastic about our involvement in the operation of Glen Gray. The
anticipated closing date and transfer of the property to Bergen County is
currently scheduled for late January 2002. Once the specific terms of use for
the property have been worked out, we will need everyone's help in making the
transition to take over the camp's operation. We are committed to working
out a plan and we look forward to developing and maintaining a camping program
at Glen Gray.
8/1/01
Despite the summer season slowing down Glen
Gray activity, trustees John Hartinger, Bob Cunniff, and Joe Cusenza, and FOGG
attorney, Ken Traum, have had several fruitful discussions with Bergen County.
In June, they met face-to-face with County Executive William "Pat"
Schuber and members of his staff to discuss FOGG's participation in the
operation of Glen Gray. Whether FOGG gets to own or lease a portion of
Glen Gray is unclear, but Bergen County seems eager to have FOGG play a vital
role in the actual functioning of the Camp. The County is interested in
maintaining scouting programs and overnight camping at the Camp and having FOGG
run it. This would solve many of the still unresolved problems regarding camp
ownership, maintenance, and support for resident camping. The Old Guard of Glen Gray would play a critical role in this proposal.
We have not heard of plans for use of the Camp by the other announced buyer, the
Jewish Community Center of Bergen County (YJCC). The YJCC is probably in the
middle of the "due diligence" portion of its offer to buy the Camp in
which they are researching whether or not the Camp would meet its needs as a day
camp.
FOGG will continue its efforts to negotiate for continued use of Glen Gray and
vital to that effort will be fundraising efforts to raise the $1.5 million to
buy or lease the camp, and, more importantly, to set up endowment fund to
provide money to maintain and staff the Camp.
6/18/01
Some people have expressed concern over the
many stories that have been circulating regarding the sale of the property.
Here are the facts of the matter:
1.
The property has NOT been sold, not yet.
There is an offer, from TPL/Bergen County, that has been presented and
accepted in principal. However, as in any the deal of this size, there are many
details that must be negotiated before any sale can be completed.
These negotiations will take several months.
2.
The offer even once negotiated is not expected to close until January of
2002.
3.
The actual agency making the offer is the Trust for Public Lands. The Trust for Public Lands is a not-for-profit organization
whose sole purpose is to assist in the acquisition of land to prevent its
development. This helps us.
By definition they cannot hold the property, they must transfer title and
we are actively working to retain control of the core facility.
4.
Our stated goals have not changed and the Trust for Public Land shares
our aims to acquire title to this property in order to keep this forever green
and in service to our young people. We
are already partners in spirit. We
are working hard to successfully complete our negotiations with the Trust for
Public Lands.
The
Friends of Glen Gray is actively assembling our operating plans as a part of the
negotiations to insure continuity for our campers.
The camp is hosting family camping this summer and groups have
sent in reservations for its use into next year.
Watch for
updates and make sure you and friends are subscribed to the e-mail notification
list (see directions at bottom of this page).
News 6/1/01
Camp Glen Gray is still being widely used
while the sale is pending. The sale,
when it is completed, will not be finalized until the end of December 2001.
Here's a brief update on activities scheduled at Glen Gray for the summer.
Plans for summer Family Camping Weekends are moving forward. There are four
weekends scheduled:
June 22-24; July 13 - 15; August 10 - 12 (to be sponsored by the Old Guard);
August 24 - 26.
The waterfront and shooting sports ranges will be open. The docks went in last
weekend and the OA is in camp this weekend and will put up tents and cots. There
is a work day on Saturday June 16 to finish up any work needed for opening up
camp.
The camp will be used as a day camp during the week this summer by the same
group that rented the camp last summer.
There is still a need to fill staff positions for the family camp weekends.
Please contact Carol Platt at cplatt@marvel.com
if you can help out.
News 5/29/01
The Camp has been sold, but it is
NOT lost! The Northern New Jersey Council was not going to sell the camp
to FOGG. Therefore the vote on May 15th to sell Glen Gray to TPL had to happen.
We view it as a positive step and are encouraged that the conversation to
delineate camp usage has begun. We are serious partners in that conversation.
The other partners are the Trust for Public Land, Bergen County, and the Jewish
Community Center.
News 5/22/01
Since the sale of Camp Glen Gray,
FOGG trustees have had a couple of preliminary discussions with the Trust for
Public Land (TPL). Within the next two weeks formal discussions will begin in
earnest. TPL will lead the negotiations between the four parties involved:
TPL
Bergen County
FOGG
Jewish Community Center (YJCC)
The NNJC, in its resolution to sell the camp,
encouraged TPL to work with FOGG to continue scouting activities at Glen
Gray.
Obviously the details of acreage ownership,
shared lands, cabin ownership, public access have to be worked out. All the
parties involved have accepted and acknowledged FOGG's interest that long term
scouting access be preserved at this historic property.
News 5/16/01
Glen Gray Sold on May 15,
2001
NNJC sells Camp to TPL for $5.1
million.
FOGG supposed to have role in negotiations.
On May 15, 2001, the Northern
New Jersey Council (NNJC) voted to sell Camp Glen Gray to the Trust for Public
Land (TPL) for $5.1 million.
[STAR LEDGER ARTICLE] [SEE
BERGEN RECORD ARTICLE]
At a regularly scheduled
meeting of the NNJC Executive Board at the Oakland, NJ Service Center, the Glen
Gray Task Force presented its recommendation to sell the Camp to TPL and Bergen
County.
There was a 30 minute
discussion of the history of the sale by Task Force chairman Curts Cooke.
It is a bit complicated, but here's how it seemed the sale went down:
NNJC talked with some developers, who all backed out of bidding on Glen Gray.
(There was no serious offer at $7.5 million that was hinted at by NNJC
officials) They had early discussions with FOGG, but weren't interested in a
FOGG purchase of only the core camp area. FOGG did not propose to purchase
the entire acreage at he $3.75 or $4 million required by the January 17, 2001 resolution. This left
just TPL who had already bid $4 million. At this point TPL and FOGG were heavily
into discussions of a "blended" deal to buy the Camp with both sides
expressing strong commitment to work together. Then, TPL's offer was superceded
by an offer of $5 million by the Bergen County Y-Jewish Community Center (YJCC).
Then TPL matched the $5 million offer only to be outbid by a YJCC offer of $5.1
million. At that point, TPL and YJCC met and rescinded both offers and then
jointly offered $5 million. FOGG was not included in this discussion or
decision. There were no other offers on the table, however NNJC felt they had
already been offered $5.1 million, so on May 15th Bergen County kicked in the extra $100
thousand to make a total offer again $5.1 million.
There was very little dissent or questions from the Executive Board members
listening to the presentation. The only extensive comment came from Bill Tuting, a board
member, who read a prepared statement highly critical of the NNJC.
The actual resolution calling for selling the camp was interesting in that it
included three paragraphs about FOGG: FOGG's discussions with the Council and
strongly worded language urging TPL to engage in discussions with FOGG.
John Hartinger, FOGG Trustee, was permitted to speak and stated that although he
had not had a chance to evaluate the resolution, he was
encouraged by the positive nature of the discussions he'd had that day with TPL and Bergen County.
FOGG involvement in the process seemed to satisfy many Board members, who
otherwise were prepared to vote for postponement or against the resolution.
Later, he said that it was no longer feasible to try and
change the mind of the majority of the Council and the best path forward was to
begin discussions with the TPL, since they have expressed good
faith.
A voice vote was taken and only a few 'nays' could be heard. The resolution
passed and Glen Gray was no longer owned by the Boy Scouts.
Both TPL and Bergen County should be aware of the long history of Camp Glen Gray
in the hearts and minds of scouts and scouting families in Bergen County, in New
Jersey, and around the nation. FOGG brings financial assistance to the
negotiating table in the form of purchase money, or endowment money to run the
Camp. In addition, FOGG and the Old Guard (OG) bring 85 years of Camp operating
experience, not to mention Scouting's long history of volunteerism and
environmental concern.
News
5/10/01
Because of a flurry of news
stories, phone calls, and Scout pressure, the NNJC Task Force is finding it
difficult to ram through a hasty deal to sell Camp Glen Gray, or to sell it off
without a thorough consideration of the "blended" sale
alternatives involving FOGG.
Here's what's going on currently:
* The Council Task force set a final offer
deadline for noon on May 3rd, 2001. The deadline was not met.
* TPL sent a letter with an increased offer, extending their April 30th
deadline.
* FOGG sent a letter to the Council offering endowment support for Glen
Gray operations when the blended FOGG/TPL purchase is made.
* A new third party has made a verbal offer of $5 million, but with no
written offer as of yet.
* Bergen Record article runs on May
3rd, putting more pressure on the Council.
* Council Task force decides they "need more time to evaluate," and
postpones any recommendation until after May 15th Executive Board meeting.
In summary, the "blended" TPL/FOGG offer is a
written offer and it meets and exceeds the NNJC's own requirements for
selling Glen Gray passed by the Executive Board in January:
* $4 million (exceeding the $3.75 million requirement)
* Open space restrictions written into the deed - no development, forever wild
* Scouts will continue to be able to use the Camp for programs and overnight
camping
READ two new stories about Glen Gray from the Bergen
Record (5/3) and the Montclair
Times (5/10).
News
4/23/01
Deadline Approaches. The Negotiating
Committee of the NNJC set April 30, 2001 to conclude its own report on potential
buyers of Camp Glen Gray. This report, which will be sent on to the NNJC, will
probably recommend one of three actions:
1. Sell the Camp to Friends of Glen Gray and the Trust for Public Land in a
blended deal. TPL has set April 30th as their deadline for their offer to buy
the Camp.
2. Sell the Camp to a different buyer whose name is unknown to FOGG.
3. Delay the completion of their report for a later date.
News 3/31/01
New York Times. A major news story
about Camp Glen Gray, The NNJC, the Old Guard, and the Friends of Glen Gray hits
the newstands April 1, 2001 as the cover story of the New Jersey section of the
Sunday Times. Watch here for follow-up.
In other news, Troop 13 of
Montclair presented a check for $1.346 representing money collected during their
recent fundraising drive.
FOGG
trustees John Hartinger, Norm Leard, and Bob Cunniff gratefully accept a check
for $1,346 from scouts Tim Andre and Mark Sherry, of Troop 13 (Montclair) at a
recent FOGG meeting.
News 3/26/01
Editorial. The Caldwell Progress
came out strongly in favor of saving Glen Gray in an editorial on March 15,
2001. They noted Caldwell's strong ties to the Camp, including the
memorial built to local resident and Scout leader, Nancy Gasser, in 1998
News 3/17/01
NNJC has begun to take steps to close Camp
Glen Gray. It has been reported that the Council has inventoried all its
equipment in preparation for moving it to its other camps. In addition, it is
not clear if the
Council is taking any new reservations for camping at Glen Gray. The Council
has informed the full-time Camp Ranger that his job will be eliminated on April
30, 2001.
Discussions Continue. NNJC is
still continuing to discuss selling Camp Glen Gray to FOGG. FOGG is trying
to buy the property itself or along with another group with similar interests.
However, the NNJC has indicated that it is still looking for a higher bid than
offered by FOGG, despite FOGG's strong connection with Scouting and FOGG's commitment
to the environment.
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friends
of Glen Gray