KALAMAZOO, MI -- The Rota-Kiwan Scout Reservation may have had its final campfire last summer but one more ember of hope is still burning to keep the campground alive.

Kalamazoo County commissioners enthusiastically discussed a proposal to buy the Boy Scout camp during the Tuesday, April 21 meeting.

The Boy Scouts of America Michigan Crossroads Council announced in October that Cub Scout summer camp programs at Rota-Kiwan, located in Kalamazoo County’s Texas Township, would cease operation in 2020.

The 99-year-old campsite isn’t for sale, but Kalamazoo County Parks Director David Rachowicz already has a $3 million plan to save it.

The parks department has been looking for a property on the western half of the county for nearly 10 years, Rachowicz said.

“Through that process we’ve always said it had to be the right piece of property and something that was unique and worth preserving," he said. “This piece of property fits that element in many ways.”

Funding from the nonprofit Parks Foundation of Kalamazoo County would purchase the property and develop the first phase of improvements.

Rachowicz estimates that about 85% of what the parks department would need for a county park is already located within Rota-Kiwan’s 212 acres, including roadways, restrooms, parking areas and picnic shelters.

The property will cost an estimated $2 million and the maintenance will cost an additional $1 million to get the camp back up and running, Rachowicz said.

The Parks Foundation has already received $1 million from a private donor, Rachowicz said.

At this time, Rachowicz said the parks council was not seeking county general fund money for the project. Private dollars will get it up and running and eventually the campground will run like other county parks and be self sustaining, Rachowicz said.

The property is currently tax exempt so utilizing the property as a county park will not have a negative impact on county, school, or township tax collections, according to the presentation.

Though the board won’t vote on the proposal for another two weeks, commissioners showed unanimous support for the plan.

“As a former Boy Scout and somebody who has camped there many, many times over the years, I will say that is one of the best piece of properties we have in Kalamazoo County,” Democrat Mike Seals said.

The campground has access to Bass Lake, which is capturing overflow high water pumped from Eagle and Crooked Lake.

In February 2019, Scouts expressed concern that invasive vegetation in Eagle Lake and Crooked Lake could enter Bass Lake. A $275,455 filter was installed to ensure no invasive species entered during the pumping process.

Democrat Christine Morse, who represents District 9 which encompasses Texas Township, voiced her support for the county to preserve the land. She called Bass Lake an important piece of Texas Township’s $1.7 million long-term flooding solution and drinking water protection.

“I think it’s wonderful that we can put this property into hands that we know will protect our water,” she said.

In the presentation, Rachowicz laid out a timeline starting with a potential acquisition at the end of July 2020 and a partial opening for public use and youth programs in May 2021.

The parks department has been in close contact with the Michigan Crossroads Council and received word the council was completing appraisals and environmental documentation to sell the property as soon as possible, according to the presentation.

There is potential the campground could be up for sale as early as May 2020, according to the presentation.

A spokesperson for the Michigan Crossroads Council said the council was ‘completing their due diligence’ and the property will be up for sale after the Executive Board of the Michigan Crossroads Council reviews and approves the appraisals.

More on MLive:

Kalamazoo City Commission approves needle exchange program

Kalamazoo State Theatre will host ‘virtual prom’ on Facebook Live

Kalamazoo high school students receive Chromebooks for remote learning

Bronson Healthcare announces pay cuts, furloughs amid coronavirus financial downturn

$11K of laundry supplies, services given to Kalamazoo families in honor of advocate who was killed