For More Information Contact:
Alana Sawchuk, Executive Assistant to the Comptroller
asawchuk@dutchessny.gov / comptroller@dutchessny.gov
(845) 486-2050
The Dutchess County Comptroller’s Office has completed a special report on the purchase and operation of the 270.7-acre property located in the Town of Pleasant Valley known as Camp Nooteeming. Although Dutchess County purchased Camp Nooteeming in April 2022 for $4.2 million and allocated an additional $600,000 for upgrades and ADA compliance, it is not widely known by taxpayers that the County owns and operates a campground, no less the associated costs and operational struggles.
Dutchess County purchased Camp Nooteeming from the Boy Scouts of America Hudson Valley Council. The contract of sale included two existing leases for a cellular communications tower and a for-profit soccer academy called Pathfinder Academy. The County also entered into an agreement with the non-profit, Pathfinder Foundation, Inc., led by the same three individuals, to operate Camp Nooteeming. The Pathfinder Foundation worked with the Dutchess County Department of Community & Family Services (DCFS) to provide summer camp programs to youth residents during the summers of 2022 through 2024 while Pathfinder Academy was a tenant on the property.
The Comptroller’s Office identified multiple discrepancies with County policy pertaining to the purchase and operation of Camp Nooteeming, most notably in its selection of the Pathfinder Foundation as the primary operating entity in March 2022.
Pathfinder Foundation had contracts valued at over $1.2 million during the three years they operated the camp, yet they repeatedly asked for advance payments to cover cashflow problems. A host of additional issues plagued Pathfinder Foundation, including maintaining records of camp attendance, adhering to scholarship guidelines, and attracting third-party camps to the campground. Lacking third-party revenue, the County became responsible for footing the cost of the camp’s bills.
“It is unknown to the Comptroller’s Office why Dutchess accepted the terms of the sale or why Pathfinder Foundation was selected,” said Comptroller Aymar-Blair. “By Pathfinder’s own admission, they were unable to operate independently and without direct financial support from the County, which was a requirement of the RFEOI. Predictably, this issue was made apparent during the period of their involvement as operator.”
It is recommended that Dutchess County strengthen its RFEOI (Request for Expressions of Interest) evaluation and selection process to ensure that awarded organizations fully meet all financial, operational, and capacity requirements before contract execution. This may include enhanced financial vetting, clearer minimum qualifications, and documented justification for award decisions.
The Comptroller’s Office would like to thank the County Executive’s Office, the Department of Community and Family Services (DCFS), the Department of Public Works (DPW), and the Department of Planning and Development (Planning) for their assistance in writing this report.
The special report on Camp Nooteeming can be found on the Comptroller’s website.
