TO THE CONGREGATIONS AND CLERGY OF THE OHIO CONFERENCE
Dear partners in ministry,
In recent months several actions have taken place related to the sale of Pilgrim Hills Camp. The Board of Directors informed the Conference previously that a Sales Team was established to carry out that responsibility.
The Sales Team believed the best option would be to offer the property for auction. It was intended that once the auction was scheduled, the entire Conference would be made aware of the auction dates and provided with information for anyone to participate in the auction proceedings.
Before a contract was in place with the selected auctioneer, a cash offer from another real estate firm was presented. The Sales Team now had two options – one to proceed with an auction, the other to respond to the cash offer. Each approach presented a different set of conditions and possibilities.
The Board of Directors met following the Annual Gathering on September 16 and was informed of the potential cash purchase. The Board authorized the Sales Team to accept a cash offer which met the conditions and standards the Sales Team required.
Counter offers were entertained before a contract was accepted.
On October 5, 2017, the Sales Team completed the agreement for the sale of Pilgrim Hills in its entirety, for the purchase price of $2.5 million.
The sales agreement allows the Conference to retain the right of possession until December 30, 2017.
The purchaser has the right to hunting privileges upon the closing of the purchase, which is anticipated to be in late November, with the understanding that hunting will not take place when scheduled groups are on the property.
Many pieces of equipment, furnishings and features of Pilgrim Hills will be moved to Templed Hills prior to the new owner’s possession of the property.
The Board of Directors and the Sales Team are very pleased that the Conference has benefited from a purchase price which exceeds the appraised value of the property by nearly $800,000, especially since there could be no guarantee that auction would produce total sales proceeds to match the cash offer.
Information regarding the management of the sales proceeds has been announced previously and is available on the Conference website.
A Celebration and Farewell event at Pilgrim Hills will take place on October 7. At that time, Pilgrim Hills will be decommissioned as a ministry site for the Ohio Conference.
Your prayers are sought for the comfort of those who grieve this difficult decision, and for support of the Board and others who have conscientiously carried out duty with careful attention to the best interests of all parties.
Sincerely,
Cathy Green, moderator of Ohio Conference and chair of the Board of Directors
John Gantt, Interim Conference Minister
Thanks to each of you for your comments about this very difficult process. In response to "anonymous" we do not know the intent of the buyer regarding hunting. However, hunting has taken place at Pilgrim Hills for many many years. Given current per acre values in the area around the camp, and diversity of the value of parcels within Pilgrim Hills boundaries, there was no assurance that an auction could generate as much money as the single buyer offered for the whole property.
Thank you for the careful deliberations that went into the difficult decisions regarding the fate of Pilgrim Hills and Templed Hills. I also appreciate the communications about this decision-making.
Thanks to all the folks in the Ohio Conference, UCC, for their dedication and work to lead the UCC in Ohio and to work for justice everywhere.
Was this camp sold to hunters?? If so I find this very distressing. Not to mention that we were led to believe that the reason why Pilgrim Hills was chosen to Well, was that it would bring in more money than Temples. Wouldn't an auction have raised more money than this cash offer?
It would be most helpful when there is information that we are asked to share with our congregation if there would be a printer-friendly version we could use.
You're right! We will add a PDF version of the letter as soon as possible. Thanks for your comment.