Norfolk Voice: Sale Proceeds from Backus Mill Controlled by NCC?

TAXPAYERS AND DONORS BEWARE!

(How is it that the Long Point Region Conservation Authority needs more money?)

For years the Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA) has been struggling to raise enough money to sustain their operation and the sale of Backus Woods was stated as a partial solution to this problem. The Ward 1 community remains outraged by this sale. However, they figured the money could be used for some good in the community. Councilor Peter Black warned against the sale in a 2008 article, in the Simcoe Reformer,

"That would really create a lot of controversy, both nationally and internationally," he said yesterday. "I know that right now. That to me is a non-starter."

Councilor Black unfortunately was unable to stop the sale and it is rumoured that is why he is no longer on the LPRCA Board of Directors after 17 years.

Our earlier article, "Our Beloved Backus: Neglected but not Forgotten” asks the question: why are they not fixing the mill with the proceeds from the sale of Backus Woods.

We may now have an answer.

According to LPRCA Financial Statements, the proceeds from the Backus Woods sale are externally controlled (“externally restricted funds”), sources say by the NCC. The interest from those funds can only be used for conservation education purposes. Further, we understand that the LPRCA must ask the NCC for permission to use any portion of the $5 million and that its intended use is for the purchase of additional NCC approved properties.

So, even though the sale took place, the LPRCA has no control over the funds from the sale.

Imagine selling your house and agreeing to let the buyer tell you what you can, or cannot do with the money from the sale. Or selling it to someone who said that he would only buy the house if he could tell you how to spend the money he gives you.

No one in their right mind would agree to those terms ….. EXCEPT for the LPRCA.

They may as well have just given Backus Woods to the NCC and asked them for an allowance for being good little boys and girls on the Board of Directors.

Did the LPRCA Board of Directors retain an external financial adviser in the sale? Did they invite competing bids for the land? Do the Directors of the LPRCA not have a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of Norfolk County? Does the Board of the LPRCA need adult supervision?

The Chartered Accountants of Canada put together a document regarding Directors Fiduciary Duties. It's too bad the Directors on the LPRCA didn't read this before giving away Backus Woods.

So, the LPRCA needs more money from us.

Roger Geysens, Chairman of LPRCA, pleaded in the Port Rowan Good News, “Major fundraising will be needed to try and fix the Mill”.

And Mayor Travale reportedly said “We’ve reached out to the Provincial and Federal Governments to see how they might contribute”.

Further, LPRCA General Manager, Cliff Evanitski is quoted as saying, ”We will need all the community and government support we can get.”

How can this be? Our community has already given up a lot: productive farmland, jobs, taxes, and unfettered access to Concession Road 4 trail entries. How much more will they take from us? Norfolk Citizens are now paying over $1,100,000 each year for our share of the Conservation Authority.

We understand that community members have put in Freedom of Information Requests for a number of documents including the Terms of Sale for Backus Woods and additional financial documents. The LPRCA has yet to provide the requested information and has said to expect a reply on the last possible day to respond by law. Any further requests will need to be handled directly by the General Manger, Cliff Evanitski. The request was made after two members of the community were asked to leave the LPRCA meeting in early November while trying to learn more about what the LPRCA was doing with the repairs to The Backus Mill.

We encourage all community members to help us get to the bottom of this and we are asking you to send us any further information you may have on these matters. We would also like to hear from the Board of Directors regarding this information. Our email address is norfolkvoice@gmail.com.

We hope that Councilor Peter Black issues a very public "I told you so"!

Roll Number : 331054302007701
Pin Number : 501290140

Description : PT LT 18 CON 5 South

Seller      : Long Point Region Conservation Authority

Buyer       : Nature Conservancy of Canada

Price       : $2

Acreage     : 89

*This property is the Barrett-Sanderson Tract and was part of the deal for
Backus Woods according to LPRCA's Annual Report 2010.

---------------------------------------------------------

Roll Number : 331054302009300
Pin Number : 331054302015500

Description : PT LT 15 CON 5

Seller      : BIG CREEK REGION CONSERVATION AUTHORITY

Buyer       : Nature Conservancy of Canada

Acreage     : 31

(combined with)

Roll Number : 331054302015500
Pin Number : 501240114

Description : PT LT 15-15 CON 4

Seller      : BIG CREEK REGION CONSERVATION AUTHORITY

Buyer       : Nature Conservancy of Canada

Acreage     : 336

(combined with)

Roll Number : 331054302020600
Pin Number : 501240144

Description : PT LT 15-18 CON 3

Seller      : BIG CREEK REGION CONSERVATION AUTHORITY

Buyer       : Nature Convervancy of Canada

Acreage     : 541

** All of the above properties were combined for a price of
   $5,372,500 and the transaction closed in 2011.

If all 4 lots were included in the Backus Woods sale the
total acreage is 997 acres which was sold for $5,372,502

The February 15, 2011 press release from the Weston Foundation
claims that they donated $6.1 million dollars to The Nature
Convervancy of Canada.

We want the truth!

Maybe Susan Cohen, Executive Director
The W. Garfield Weston Foundation can tell us.

info@westonroundation.org

Please contact the LPRCA Board of Directors for more information. Seeing as how many of the Current LPRCA Board Members are also Norfolk County Councilors and your Mayor, please also contact them.