Jeffrey Anderson, Housatonic Council Executive Board Member, Past Housatonic Council President, Past Housatonic Council Commissioner

Rev. Father Christopher Tiano, Eagle Scout, Past Housatonic Council President

John Rak, Past Housatonic Council President, Oscar Johnson Campership Fund Trustee

Protect Camp Strang, Protect Housatonic’s Charitable Assets, Protect Scouting in the Valley

A Call to the Housatonic Council Executive Board from Former Council Presidents, Alumni, Donors, Volunteers, and Friends of Scouting

 

We, the undersigned former leaders, alumni, donors, volunteers, Scouts, Scouters, families, and friends of Housatonic Council, respectfully call upon the Housatonic Council Executive Board to ensure that any proposed merger involving Housatonic Council is structured in a manner that fully protects Camp Strang, preserves Housatonic’s charitable assets, honors donor intent, and safeguards the future of Scouting for the young people and families of the Lower Naugatuck Valley.

 

This petition is not a call to oppose change, nor is it a rejection of thoughtful structural solutions to the challenges facing Scouting. We recognize the financial, operational, and membership realities confronting local councils. We support a serious and disciplined evaluation of all responsible options.

 

But we also believe that any merger involving Housatonic Council must be approached with the highest level of fiduciary care, transparency, and enforceable protection for the assets and charitable resources entrusted to this Council by generations of Scouts, families, donors, and volunteers.

 

Why This Matters

For more than a century, Housatonic Council has served the youth and families of the Lower Naugatuck Valley. It has done so not only through programs and volunteers, but through the stewardship of charitable assets built and sustained by generations of local supporters.

 

Chief among those assets is Edmund D. Strang Scout Reservation—Camp Strang—a defining part of Scouting in our region and one of the most important physical, historical, and charitable assets entrusted to the Council’s care.

 

Camp Strang is not simply a camp property.

 

It is a living legacy of Scouting in the Valley.
It is a charitable asset built by local families and donors.
It is a center of outdoor leadership, character development, and community tradition.
It is central to the identity, history, and future of Scouting in Housatonic Council.

 

Likewise, the Council’s endowments, restricted funds, camp funds, and donor-supported capital contributions were entrusted for specific charitable purposes and must be protected accordingly.

These assets do not belong to any one committee or current leadership group.
They belong to the mission of Scouting and to the generations of youth they were intended to serve.

 

Our Concern

 

The Housatonic Council Executive Board is currently considering a potential merger with Connecticut Rivers Council.

 

We recognize that this may ultimately prove to be a responsible path. But if so, it must only proceed under conditions that are fully transparent, legally enforceable, and demonstrably protective of Camp Strang, Housatonic’s charitable assets, and the Scouts and families of the Lower Naugatuck Valley.

 

A merger should not move forward based on general assurances, informal understandings, or aspirational language.

 

Promises are not protections.

Memoranda without enforceable commitments are not safeguards.

Future intent is not the same as legal protection.

 

If Housatonic Council is to consider a merger, the protections for Camp Strang, donor funds, local representation, and Valley Scouting must be real, enforceable, and clearly defined before any final approval is granted.

 

We Respectfully Call Upon the Executive Board to Commit to the Following Before Approving Any Merger

 

1. Permanent Protection of Camp Strang

Camp Strang must be permanently protected for Scouting use through legally enforceable mechanisms—not informal assurances.

 

This must include: binding legal protections that preserve Camp Strang for Scouting use,
protections against sale, transfer, repurposing, or encumbrance without enforceable restrictions
permanent preservation measures that survive leadership transitions and future budget cycles
Camp Strang must not be treated as a disposable asset.

 

2. Protection of Restricted Funds and Donor Intent

All restricted, designated, endowed, and donor-supported funds raised for Housatonic Council and Camp Strang must remain protected and used in accordance with donor intent.

 

This must include: clear accounting of all restricted and designated funds,
protection against co-mingling, diversion, or repurposing inconsistent with donor intent.
Transparent treatment of capital funds raised for Camp Strang projects,
full disclosure of how these funds would be managed under any merger structure.
Donor trust is a charitable obligation, not a discretionary consideration.

 

3. Binding Governance and Representation Protections for the Valley

Any merger must preserve meaningful representation and local voice for the Lower Naugatuck Valley.

 

This must include: meaningful Board representation for the Housatonic service area,
continuity of district identity and local service delivery,
retention of meaningful local volunteer leadership and program support
protections ensuring the Valley remains more than a nominal district in a larger council structure. 
The Scouts and families of this region deserve more than symbolic representation.

 

4. Full Transparency Before Final Approval

 

No merger should be approved without full transparency regarding:

Financial assumptions
Asset implications
Legal protections
Governance impacts
Donor fund treatment
Operational consequences for Scouts, units, and families

The Executive Board must review clear terms, clear financials, and clear legal protections before any final vote.

 

5. No Final Approval Without Enforceable Protections

No merger should be approved unless the protections described above are:

Clearly documented
Legally enforceable
Financially transparent
Reviewed by counsel
Reviewed by independent financial professionals
Presented to the full Executive Board for informed approval

This is not opposition to change.

It is a call for responsible stewardship.

 

Our Position: 

 

We support Scouting.
We support Camp Strang.
We support thoughtful and responsible planning for the future.

But no merger should proceed unless it protects the assets, charitable trust, donor intent, and local Scouting legacy entrusted to Housatonic Council.

This is not simply about a transaction.

It is about stewardship.
It is about fiduciary responsibility.

It is about protecting what generations built for the Scouts who come next.

 

We respectfully call upon the Housatonic Council Executive Board to act accordingly.

 

Sign this petition to protect Camp Strang, protect Housatonic’s charitable assets, and protect Scouting in the Valley.