Girls Scouts To Sell Camp Despite Disapproval From Voting Members

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — Camp Ilchester's fate seems doomed despite a protest held in April against its sale that was led by current and past Girl Scout members. Numerous people also spoke out at a Girl Scouts of Central Maryland board of directors meeting in favor of keeping the camp.

But on Wednesday, the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland board of directors announced its decision to go ahead and sell Camp Ilchester, one of four Girl Scout camps in the state.

In March, the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland's board of directors presented the idea of selling the camp to its delegates, who include Girl Scout members and adult volunteers. The directors said at the meeting that Camp Ilchester struggles to make money every year and it was time to sell. Proceeds from the sale would be funneled toward revamping Camp Woodlands in Annapolis.

At its April 22 board of directors meeting, a nonbinding vote was cast to gauge interest in selling the property. Fifty voting members were opposed and 37 were in favor.

Carrie Koenig, a fourth-grade Girl Scout troop leader in Howard County, told Patch that because the vote is nonbinding, the board doesn't have to follow the preference of members. During the meeting, the board members fielded questions from Girl Scout delegates "vaguely," Koenig said.

The meeting was disappointing, she told Patch.

"When a member asked how they plan to finance this 'camp of the future' long term and pay for long term maintenance, the board said that they hope the money will come from donors, grants and future revenue this camp earns. But, to date, they’ve only secured $1.8 million for a $21 million project. It didn’t seem like they had real financial projections or guaranteed donors, which is a huge gamble," Koenig said. "Since the four camps they currently own have fallen into disrepair, members questioned how they’re going to keep a ‘camp of the future’ with many more amenities, buildings and equipment maintained. They just said they hope for donors and future revenue."

Selling the camp in Howard County also affects Girl Scouts in that region. There are two camps in Anne Arundel County.

"We feel like eliminating a camp really decreases the camp experiences available to Girl Scouts in Carroll and Howard counties, especially those without financial means," Koenig said. "I want the Girl Scouts to keep Camp Ilchester, upgrade all of the camps and figure out better ways to generate revenue for ongoing camp maintenance. Giving girls and other youth access to green space is incredibly important in scouting. Outdoors is a core Girl Scout value and eliminating this camp will decrease the amount of opportunities Howard and Carroll County Girl Scout girls have at camp."

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said Wednesday that he, too, was concerned about the sale of Camp Ilchester and its 19 acres of green space.

"We are encouraged that the Girl Scouts have committed to exploring preservation options as part of its considerations for the future of the property,” Ball wrote in a post on his Facebook page. "We are supportive of the preservation of this property as green space and are looking forward to working with the Girl Scouts and other community stakeholders to that end. Promoting green infrastructure and preserving open space are priorities of our administration."

State Delegate Courtney Watson and Sen. Katie Hester spoke out Wednesday about the sale, expressing disappointment in the board's decision.

"(It) has been a haven of the natural world in Howard County for thousands of Girl Scouts over the years. Losing this beautiful property would be a terrible blow to the community," the pair said in a statement.

They urged the county to make an offer to purchase the land for community use, even though the county is restricted from paying beyond the appraised value, something a residential developer can do.

The Love for Camp Ilchester Coalition queried 402 members and volunteers located with Howard County about the plans to sell Camp Ilchester. More than one-third of those surveyed said they would change their involvement with Girl Scouts of Central Maryland if the camp was sold.