This letter to the Editor was sent by Rob Diechert Jr. on January 25, 2023 but was removed from the MyHomeTownBronxville site on January 27th, 2023.

To The Greater Community,

January 25, 2023: I am writing to make sure everyone knows what is transpiring between Westchester County and the Bronxville Scout Cabin. I’m the Pack 5 Cubmaster, have sons in Troop 5 and Pack 5 and I sit on the Cabin Committee. I myself grew up using the Cabin as a youth. For those not up to date on the latest in Scouting, it’s changed quite a bit since I was a kid. We recently opened up to female scouts as well as dropped sexual orientation rules. The skills and values that Scouting teaches transcends gender, race, and sexual orientation.

In a nutshell, the Bronxville Scout Cabin, a 100+ year old building which supports scouting in Bronxville, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Yonkers, and Mount Vernon is being attacked by George Latimer and his administration. They have commenced ejection (yes, ejection, if they had a lease, it would be an eviction) proceedings against the Bronxville Scout Committee, a 501c3 organization with the express purpose of maintaining the cabin to support scouting.

A quick history lesson; when the Bronx River Parkway land was being assembled in the early 1900s, Frank Chambers (of Bronxville School fame) sold the land to the Parkway commission and part of the deal was to allow the Boy Scouts to build a cabin which happened in 1920. This cabin was paid for by the community and local organizations. No taxpayer monies were used and it has been maintained ever since.

While the stewards have changed over the years, (the Bronxville Scout Committee took over the Cabin in 1981 from the Westchester Putnam Council), the mission to provide both a venue for scouts and community has endured.

For the past 20 years the scout cabin has been available for rental on weekends and nights to families and organizations enabling us to have a balanced operating budget. The “cabin” provides an inexpensive gathering place with parking for the community. Families use it for Thanksgiving dinners, birthdays, parties and even weddings.

During the normal course of maintaining the property (which we have done for 100+ years including rebuilding after a devastating fire), the County admitted they have no written agreement which would make the County our landlord. In 2020 tried to force the Scout Committee to sign a 5 year lease. They then started to encroach on the property by dumping materials in our parking lot and removing barriers.

Why is signing a lease a problem? First, we can only have two additional renewals. That means after 15 years the County could take over the cabin (assuming they didn’t find some reason to evict us before that time). George, where should the scouts go once you take away the cabin? Where will we hold our meetings? Where will we hold our Pinewood Derby races? Where will we develop our youth? George, do you want the Scouts to go away?

We filed suit to stop the County and clarify our status once and for all. A sympathetic temporary judge (who is relying on Latimer to make him permanent), ruled with the County and asked to dismiss our case. We were then hit with the ejection notice. It’s still not clear why Latimer is going after the cabin and what the County wants to do with it. The cabin is well run and maintained; if it was falling down or not used it would be a different story.

Why George, are you insisting on messing with something that actually works?

This isn’t a Republican or Democrat issue, this is what’s good for our community. We have dedicated volunteers who run the cabin and the troops and packs. None of these are paid roles. Nobody is getting rich off the Scout Cabin. In my opinion it’s a perfect example of how private citizens can organize, fundraise, and manage a community asset and support an organization that develops our youth.

Why do I care so much? For me it’s as simple as seeing the excitement when a parent and child build and race a pinewood derby car together, learn how to use a pocket knife safely, or be able to camp out and cook their own meals over a fire. For my older sons, I have watched how scouts have helped them develop a level of independence, a sense of responsibility and life skills that are hard to replicate anywhere else.

The Scout law is as follows, A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Whether you’re a Scout or not, most people wouldn’t argue that our world could use more people who follow it. This Cabin has hosted numerous youths who have gone on to great leadership positions locally, nationally, and globally. Most notable is JFK (yes, our past president) who was a Bronxville Scout.

My question is to George and the Westchester County legislators who voted to take action against the Scout Cabin, how do your motives align with the Scout Law?

If you are as concerned or upset as I am please consider doing the following:

Send a donation to the Scout Cabin Committee, it’s tax deductible. Litigation is expensive.

Email and call county executive George Latimer ([email protected] (914) 995-2900) and tell him to formalize the County relationship with the Scout Cabin Committee and let them continue to successfully operate as they have done for 103 years.

Tell your friends and neighbors to do the same and if you can help reach out.

Sincerely,

Rob Deichert Jr.