To: Jeff Purdy and Art King October 28,2009

The November 12th meeting looks to be a spirited one with hopefuly lots of discussion on alternatives to the summary suggestions regarding disposition of the camps made by the Property Committee and further imput on the best way to cure financial problems which I assume will be summarized from the Report on Council Finances. We learned alot by attending the 10/22/09 meeting and look forward to the meetings in the future.

At the same time I hope you will present comments and suggestions that will have been sent to you by the stakeholders and the counties where the camps are. In addition I would like to suggest that you open the meeting up for 30 minutes to an hour so that stakeholders may make presentations in person to the Board. Even though the Board has the final decision, any Board of an organization that depends on hundreds of volunteers and contributions from parents, the public, Scouters and the Scouts themselves who are out there raising money for the council, would be mistaken not to include the very people from whom you derive your support.

You have asked for comments to be sent in writing but I feel physical presence and opportunity to express opinions and suggestions, although time consuming, is positive for the process. It took a long time to build our camps and a long time for us to get in the financial situation we are in. Let's take the time to make measured decisions.

After all, in the Mert Badges of Citizenship in the Community, the Nation, and the World, we teach informed involvement and expression of opinions and rights. What better example than to show our Scouts and the public that we practice what we preach. It may be a difficult and laborious process but if we are to sign on and support what you finaly decide we should be able to speak our opinions of the process and offer alternatives. That way in the end, the solution will have a better chance of grass-root support. At this time I have found very few people who are supportive of what you are trying to do. Most are outraged although know little of the information you are basing this process on.

It is my opinion that to gain support or to validly look at suggested alternatives you need to give us information on which the Board is making its decisions. I really don't see anything wrong with letting our situation and analysis of it see the light of the day. Sunshine shows it all, the good and the bad. Once we understand that and the public sees that we made an effort to look and listen to all alternatives, then there is a greater chance of support and less a chance of losing economic funding in annual giving. Do you really think it will be "business as usual" if we get $5 Million for Dilly's Mill and send Scouts and Friends of Scouting out to raise more funds??? The reality will be that they will not be very motivated to give to Buckskin Council when we are sitting on a large endowment of money.

Therefore I would like request copies of the following documents:

1. 2007,2008,2009 budgets

2. 2010 proposed budget

3. Task Force Reports on Finances and Properties including reccomendations

4. List of the 30 odd properties discussed at the 10/22/09 meeting and approximate values if possible.

5. Any proposals made by Logan and Pocahontas Counties regarding Camp Chief Logan and any proposal made for Camp Roland.

6. How does Buckskin Council on Income ratio to Operations Costs compare to other councils? I am sure BSA National has something on this.

7. What have we done to reduce costs at the Council Office without negatively impacting our program?

I want to say also to both of you that the future of the National Camp is truly exciting and we all look forward to it. However, since it will not be up and running till 2014 I feel we should go very slow disposing of what took years to put together, the camps that is. Jeff ,your resume is quite remarkable for the past positions you have held in Scouting and the people at Blue Water Council in Port Huron, Michigan are very pleased with your achievments for them. I know that the intentions of you and Art and the whole council have the boys in mind from your prospective. I just think stakeholders like myself and the public have a prospective that should be given due attention and expression.

I will be glad to reimburse the council for any copies of material requested.

Sincerely,

Dave Holcomb, Committeeman Troop 68 of Cross Lanes, WV

Stinkwell, (Norman) This is a request for information I sent to the Scout Office. Please publish. I will send you the response I got from them yesterday. T68 Dave Holcomb

---------- Forwarded Message ----------
From: "dth1946@netzero.net"
To: jpurdy@bsamail.org
Cc: vatalaj@dow.com, lwunderl@bsamail.org
Subject: Sale of Camps
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:39:15 GMT

To: Jeff Purdy and Art King October 28,2009

The November 12th meeting looks to be a spirited one with hopefuly lots of discussion on alternatives to the summary suggestions regarding disposition of the camps made by the Property Committee and further imput on the best way to cure financial problems which I assume will be summarized from the Report on Council Finances. We learned alot by attending the 10/22/09 meeting and look forward to the meetings in the future.

At the same time I hope you will present comments and suggestions that will have been sent to you by the stakeholders and the counties where the camps are. In addition I would like to suggest that you open the meeting up for 30 minutes to an hour so that stakeholders may make presentations in person to the Board. Even though the Board has the final decision, any Board of an organization that depends on hundreds of volunteers and contributions from parents, the public, Scouters and the Scouts themselves who are out there raising money for the council, would be mistaken not to include the very people from whom you derive your support.

You have asked for comments to be sent in writing but I feel physical presence and opportunity to express opinions and suggestions, although time consuming, is positive for the process. It took a long time to build our camps and a long time for us to get in the financial situation we are in. Let's take the time to make measured decisions.

After all, in the Mert Badges of Citizenship in the Community, the Nation, and the World, we teach informed involvement and expression of opinions and rights. What better example than to show our Scouts and the public that we practice what we preach. It may be a difficult and laborious process but if we are to sign on and support what you finaly decide we should be able to speak our opinions of the process and offer alternatives. That way in the end, the solution will have a better chance of grass-root support. At this time I have found very few people who are supportive of what you are trying to do. Most are outraged although know little of the information you are basing this process on.

It is my opinion that to gain support or to validly look at suggested alternatives you need to give us information on which the Board is making its decisions. I really don't see anything wrong with letting our situation and analysis of it see the light of the day. Sunshine shows it all, the good and the bad. Once we understand that and the public sees that we made an effort to look and listen to all alternatives, then there is a greater chance of support and less a chance of losing economic funding in annual giving. Do you really think it will be "business as usual" if we get $5 Million for Dilly's Mill and send Scouts and Friends of Scouting out to raise more funds??? The reality will be that they will not be very motivated to give to Buckskin Council when we are sitting on a large endowment of money.

Therefore I would like request copies of the following documents:

1. 2007,2008,2009 budgets

2. 2010 proposed budget

3. Task Force Reports on Finances and Properties including reccomendations

4. List of the 30 odd properties discussed at the 10/22/09 meeting and approximate values if possible.

5. Any proposals made by Logan and Pocahontas Counties regarding Camp Chief Logan and any proposal made for Camp Roland.

6. How does Buckskin Council on Income ratio to Operations Costs compare to other councils? I am sure BSA National has something on this.

7. What have we done to reduce costs at the Council Office without negatively impacting our program?

I want to say also to both of you that the future of the National Camp is truly exciting and we all look forward to it. However, since it will not be up and running till 2014 I feel we should go very slow disposing of what took years to put together, the camps that is. Jeff ,your resume is quite remarkable for the past positions you have held in Scouting and the people at Blue Water Council in Port Huron, Michigan are very pleased with your achievments for them. I know that the intentions of you and Art and the whole council have the boys in mind from your prospective. I just think stakeholders like myself and the public have a prospective that should be given due attention and expression.

I will be glad to reimburse the council for any copies of material requested.

Sincerely,

Dave Holcomb, Committeeman Troop 68 of Cross Lanes, WV

I talked to David Fleming the other day and he informed me that the Farmland Protection Board has spent all their money. But there will be more, MUCH MORE. We can use this money for a good purpose!!!!!

Use the emails you see in this posting. Let the BS know you care and that you support keeping the facilities.

October 30, 2009
Scouts hope to build $100M national Jamboree site in Fayette
If everything goes as planned, Fayette County will become the permanent host of the Boy Scouts of America's National Jamboree, a 10-day event that attracts nearly 40,000 Scouts and another 200,000 visitors every four years.
By Eric Eyre
Staff writer
Advertiser


CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- If everything goes as planned, Fayette County will become the permanent host of the Boy Scouts of America's National Jamboree, a 10-day event that attracts nearly 40,000 Scouts and another 200,000 visitors every four years.

The Boy Scouts hope to announce Nov. 18 that they're building a $100 million National Scout Jamboree Center on a 10,600-acre site beside the New River Gorge, according to those familiar with the project.

The Scouts also are building a high-adventure center on the Garden Ground Mountain site near Glen Jean.

The Scouts are expected to invest up to $250 million for both projects, which will be called the National Scouting Center.

"This would put Fayette County and Southern West Virginia on the world stage," said Matt Wender, a Fayette County commissioner. "It's a tremendous opportunity."

The center would host the Scouts' 2013 Jamboree - and subsequent Jamborees every four years.

A news conference has been scheduled for Nov. 18 in Glen Jean.

"I can't tell you for sure we're going to have a decision on the Jamboree Center by Nov. 18, but we're working toward that," Scouts spokesman David LaValle said Friday. "We're hopeful we can move forward on this. We're going to have some big news to announce, but we can't put the cart before the horse."

LaValle said that the organization is conducting "final due diligence" to ensure the site is suitable for the Jamboree project.

The Fayette County property is the only site under consideration for the Jamboree Center, LaValle confirmed. He said the Boy Scouts continues to review engineering studies on the Fayette site.

"We want the Jamboree Center to be part of the project," LaValle said, "but until we do all of our homework, no final decisions will be made."

The night before the Scouts' news conference, Gov. Joe Manchin and first lady Gayle Manchin plan to host a $1,000-per-person private reception and dinner at the Culture Center to announce the Boy Scouts' plans.

National Boy Scouts of America Commissioner Tico Perez and three other top executives from the national office plan to speak at the invitation-only event.