Another big parcel for sale

[Mr. V]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

Girl Scouts is great in general, but these lawyers deserve a merit badge in BS. The whole reason the trust was created was to protect camp uses from being usurped by money. So the money pressure arriving is now the reason the court should allow them to break the trust?

Gotta wonder if the terms of the trust will be stricken as being in violation of the rule against perpetuities?

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by Mr. V

Gotta wonder if the terms of the trust will be stricken as being in violation of the rule against perpetuities?

Hmmm...not a lawyer, but it would seem to be an unforced error if that was the case. It is not difficult to protect a piece of land forever. People and organizations due this with the Lakes Region Conservation Trust and other groups as a matter of course, including protecting specified uses

[8gv]

My take on this:

The trust was put in place to allow the scouts to have an opportunity to go to summer camp.

That promise was fulfilled.

At some point the demand for that activity ceased to exist.

Changing the use of the property does not cause harm to the scouts because for them, that activity is not coming back.

I say change the property's use and deliver its current value to the trustees so that the scouts can benefit in more modern ways.

[Descant]

Sounds like the Menotomy trustees have lost sight of the intent of the trust as I understand it: Site/land preservation and good experiences for Girl Scouts. In our town the Trustees of Trust Funds (elected by the town) manage forest land that was a bequest in 1965. Proceeds from periodic harvests go into a trust fund and the income of that fund is available for schools. Open to the public for hiking, etc. No reason something like that couldn't be set up for Menotomy, with derived income going to Girl Scouts and allowing them to do "wilderness camping" which requires no structures. Undeveloped land adds to the total desirability of a community which improves value without raising costs. Perhaps Meredith should petition the court for such a plan? Hillsborough and Rockingham counties unexpectedly became over developed. Now they're desperate for open land. The Lakes Region is close to that mistake. On another site, we also purchased a summer camp and the Parks Dept. runs a day camp and other year round programs. Setting aside a large portion of the land as conservation land enabled grant funding such as LWCF and LC HIP, as I recall.

[John Mercier]

Originally Posted by Descant

Sounds like the Menotomy trustees have lost sight of the intent of the trust as I understand it: Site/land preservation and good experiences for Girl Scouts. In our town the Trustees of Trust Funds (elected by the town) manage forest land that was a bequest in 1965. Proceeds from periodic harvests go into a trust fund and the income of that fund is available for schools. Open to the public for hiking, etc. No reason something like that couldn't be set up for Menotomy, with derived income going to Girl Scouts and allowing them to do "wilderness camping" which requires no structures. Undeveloped land adds to the total desirability of a community which improves value without raising costs. Perhaps Meredith should petition the court for such a plan? Hillsborough and Rockingham counties unexpectedly became over developed. Now they're desperate for open land. The Lakes Region is close to that mistake. On another site, we also purchased a summer camp and the Parks Dept. runs a day camp and other year round programs. Setting aside a large portion of the land as conservation land enabled grant funding such as LWCF and LC HIP, as I recall.

Then the town should make an offer greater than the one currently on the table.