Stop the Sale of Camp Arrowhead, Girl Scouts Columbia River Council

We, the undersigned registered members of Girl Scouts Columbia River Council, are alarmed by the authorization by the Board of Directors on September 20, 2007 for a sealed bid auction of the Camp Arrowhead property on November 14, 2007 for the following reasons:

1. This is an irreversible decision. When the camp is gone, it is gone. A decision of this magnitude should not be undertaken without due care, thorough evaluation of all the information and evaluation on the impact this action will have on Girl Scouting in Columbia River Council. The rush to sell this property is not prudent business practice.

2. While the boards intentions are well meant, further exploration has revealed that not all of the necessary facts and information were apparently used or available to the Board of Directors. Again, more time is needed for a thorough evaluation of the property, the facts, and the needs of the Council.

3. The board has not communicated with the membership about the decision to list Camp Arrowhead as surplus camping property in a timely fashion. The Board decision to sell Camp Arrowhead was voted on at an August 16 Board meeting; a non- voting council delegate meeting was held on September 17, 2007 to tell the membership that camp would be closed November 1. Then on September 24th, it was announced that camp would be auctioned on November 14th. Council membership was not informed at any time that the Board of Directors seriously discussed selling the property. At no time was the sale of Camp Arrowhead brought to Council membership.

4. The Board of Directors has not undertaken a transparent process involving all stakeholders in the decision to auction Camp Arrowhead. As stipulated in GSUSA policies it is essential that governance and management decisions that have a potential for broad impact not be made until the decision- makers have actively sought input from outside the decision-making body. This process should provide for the solicitation, integration and thoughtful consideration of all views that are central to the democratic process in Girl Scouts. The sale of Camp Arrowhead significantly affects all members, and is a highly charged emotional issue that will require major capital expenditures to replace. We need to model to girls appropriate democratic processes.

5. Camp Arrowhead is a unique, irreplaceable property. It offers Girl Scouts throughout the Pacific Northwest the opportunity to live in a natural science laboratory allowing for exceptional, experiential learning. We are unlikely to find a comparable property available for the amount gained from the sale of Arrowhead.

Therefore, we request the following actions from the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts Columbia River Council:

1. Hold a Board of Directors meeting ( per Article V 6 of the council bylaws) that is open to Council members as soon as possible during the month of October, 2007 to discuss and vote on withdrawing Camp Arrowhead from the sealed bid auction being held on November 14, 2007 by Realty Marketing/Northwest.

Allow testimony at the Board meeting from members of the Council community knowledgeable about Camp Arrowhead, and its value to camping experience and natural science opportunities to the membership.

2. Create a task group of Board members, Council representatives and involved volunteers (as set forth by GSUSA guidelines) to:
a. Study the future camping needs of the Council.
b. Examine with due diligence all aspects of Camp Arrowhead, including safety issues, repair and replacement needs, and program capabilities.
c. Report to the membership exactly what repairs the property needs, and give an itemized estimate of what the repairs will cost.
d. Explore additional options for making repairs, such as volunteer labor, donated time and materials, and additional fund raising for the benefit of Camp Arrowhead.

3. Provide the membership with a report showing the current fiscal status of the Columbia River Council.