Sale Of Boy Scouts' Property Delayed Due To Inquiry: AG

KILLINGWORTH, CT — Following conversations with state Attorney General William Tong, the Boy Scouts of America Connecticut Yankee Council agreed to postpone consideration of proposals for the purchase of Deer Lake until May 1, according to a statement from Tong.

Tong's office is reviewing questions regarding the legal status of the property and a potential sale.

At Tong's request and due the pending inquiry into the property, the Boy Scouts have agreed to delay their decision on the sale of the property until May 1, extending their previous March 31 deadline.

“I thank the Boy Scouts for hearing my concerns and agreeing to postpone this deadline while our inquiry into the property proceeds, and for being cooperative and responsive to our questions. I have heard from a number of community leaders and preservationists who have a strong interest in the future of Deer Lake. I hope that this extended time will allow all sides to work together on a positive resolution,” Tong said in a statement.

The 55-acre wilderness camp and reserve in Killingworth was put up for sale as part of the Boy Scouts of America sex abuse settlement, reported the New Haven Register.

Deer Lake Camp, named in a lawsuit in 2012 as a site where abuse took place, has been appraised at between $3.7 million and $4.2 million, and $2.6 million will go to the Boy Scouts of America to help pay off the organization's $850 million settlement with abuse victims.

Also, Save the Sound, a nonprofit organization, has called on the Boy Scouts of America to accept its offer for the property. The organization said it made a market-value offer and intends to preserve the property.

See related: Sex Abuse Settlement Prompts Sale Of Killingworth Camp: Report

Organization Calls For Killingworth Property Preservation