The decision to sell the Latieze Property before the embers had cooled from the Ponderosa Fire was short-sighted and, in the opinion of many citizens who organized in opposition to the sale of the Latieze property, a missed opportunity.
Background
In November 1977 Marcel and Leslie Latieze bequeathed 163 acres of land, their home and upon their deaths several hundred thousand dollars to the Shasta County Board of Education (SCBOE). The purpose of the gift was to preserve the land for educational purposes and provide a setting enhancing the opportunity for the study of natural sciences and other beneficial endeavors. The Latieze family retained a life estate on their home until death. Leslie died in 1985 followed by her husband Marcel in 1986. At that time the SCBOE received the several hundred thousand dollars, their life savings, for educational purposes.
In the 34 years of operation it is estimated that over 30,000 students and others used the facilities for educational purposes. Many of the improvements on the property were the result of the efforts of volunteers and various service clubs.
From 1977 through 2006, county superintendents — Jack Schreder, Dean Dennett, Midge Gates, Charlie Menoher and Carol Whitmer — administered the camp, which at times was difficult due to fiscal constraints. Many former superintendents have indicated that it was not appropriate or even legal to sell the property.
Upon the election of Tom Armelino, the Shasta County Office of Education determined that it was in the best interest of this administration to sell the property to eliminate any encroachment on the general fund by closing the camp and selling the property.
Through a series of legal interpretations culminating with an April 2011 Superior Court ruling, the Shasta County Office of Education was granted “quiet title” to the property. This action allowed the current Shasta County Office of Education to declare the camp “surplus property” thus permitting its sale. The property was listed for sale for $850,000. A team of concerned citizens was quickly formed and urged the SCBOE to include an option to lease the property so the SCBOE could retain ownership and allow future SCBOE members the opportunity to be creative with the community asset. The SCBOE included the possibility to lease in the real estate listing. The “Latieze Lease Team” successfully developed a list of potential lessees for the property and had scheduled a second visit to the property by a statewide organization. The second visit was to take place two days after the fire.
The Fire
In August 2012 the Ponderosa Fire was ignited by lightning and within two days the structures and a portion of the timber were destroyed. The Latieze property was insured and the settlement reimbursed the County Office of Education $1,365,748 for its loss. The SCBOE has designated over $1 million of that settlement to the Student Benefit Fund, which is under the control of the SCBOE.
The County Office was made whole through the insurance settlement. After the allocation to the Student Benefit Fund, approximately $300,000 remained to reimburse the SCOE for other ancillary expenses. The SCBOE still owns the 163 acres.
The Opportunity
The original intent of the SCBOE to sell the property as stated by county superintendent, Tom Armelino, and board President Bill Stegall was to eliminate the encroachment on the general fund. That has been accomplished with money to spare.
At a special October SCBOE meeting to discuss the insurance settlement, it was strongly suggested by several community members that this was a time to retain the property since anyone with a hint of business acumen would know that a sale of recently burned land, in an artificially depressed real estate market, is not in the public interest.
The land will heal. The Latieze property has great potential. Amenities are a fresh water pond being charged constantly by a spring and supplied by an irrigation stream, a former apple orchard with prime soil, a quarter-mile of Rock Creek, which is supplied by water from the snows of Lassen Peak, and existing timber spared by the fire.
The $60,000 from the sale of salvage logs could restock the land with seedlings and, according to Jim Chapin of Shasta Land Management, the land would be a regenerated young forest within seven years. In the meanwhile the wildlife can forage and raptors can nest in dead snags as nature continues to rebuild.
What happened?
On Nov. 14, reporting out of closed session, the SCBOE President, Bill Stegall, indicated the board has accepted an offer to purchase the property for $200,000. As reported in the Record Searchlight on Nov. 15, Stegall indicated that “It is time to cut loose from that. It has been such a burden.” Was the original purpose to sell the property to eliminate encroachment on the general fund or to reduce the burden of caring and managing of a valuable asset?
One man’s burden is another man’s opportunity.
Armelino and the administration of the Office of Education, led the efforts to dispose of the Latieze gift and neglected to consider long-term effects of selling this valuable asset. In the future many superintendents and board members will succeed those in office today. The current superintendent and the board members who voted to sell the Latieze property have pre-empted future educational leaders from exercising a vision that is not apparent to those currently in office.
The sale of the property is a perfect miss.