In the interest of exploring all revenue options, the Simon Kenton Council of the Boys Scouts of America has approved a resolution to sell or lease a 60-acre parcel of Camp Lazarus, which is located at 4422 Columbus Pike (U.S. Route 23) in Delaware.
“We’ve had a subcommittee looking at the various properties that need maintenance and capital structure improvements,” said Jeff Moe, a scout executive and Chief Executive Officer of the Simon Kenton Council.
According to a press release, the council maintains four primary camps within Ohio: Camp Lazarus, Delaware; Camp Falling Rock, Newark; Chief Logan Reservation, Ray; and Camp Oyo, Portsmouth.
“After engaging with and listening to members of our council, the passion for our camps is evident. Tonight, we identified a path forward to ensure that additional options can be explored regarding the future of Chief Logan Reservation,” states Council Board President Chris Miller in the press release.
The press release also revealed that the camps are reviewed every five years for usage, infrastructure, operating costs, and facilities. The review outlined the features, programs, and potential opportunities of each camp, but the financial impact of maintaining the four properties is unsustainable.
The recommendation to the council’s board was to sell, lease, or license any or all portions of the Chief Logan Reservation and to make available for sale or lease the 60-acre parcel located on the southeast portion of the Camp Lazarus property.
Moe said the proceeds would go into a maintenance reserve fund to maintain the other properties owned by the council. He said each year, the council pays $100,000 depreciation on the property, and the council subsidizes summer camp each year for the Scouts who attend.
“We’re not fully utilizing the Camp Lazarus property right now, and we would like to make improvements to our other properties,” he said.
Camp Lazarus is 230 acres in total with part of it under a conservation easement. Moe said the council will have a say in who purchases the property.
“They will still be our neighbors, and we’ll be very intentional with the buyer that we want to work with,” he said “Our camps are more than a property. They’re a classroom in the woods where kids can escape from the stress of day-to-day life, learn new skills, and make memories for life.”
The Simon Kenton Council of Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest councils in the nation, serving 18 counties in central and southern Ohio, as well as Greenup County in northern Kentucky. The council is staffed by more than 40 professional and administrative Scouters with more than 6,500 adult volunteers delivering the Scouting program to more than 18,000 youth at 533 chartered organizations.
For more information, visit www.skcscouts.org
