Recommendations for Ministry at Killam’s Point
Killam’s Point Long Term Planning Committee
First Congregational Church
Branford, CT
August 2007
Table of Contents
Part One: Introduction and Background Information
History of Killam’s Point3
The Branford Royal Grant Years (1970-2005)4
The Killam’s Point Ad Hoc Committee (1996)5
The Killam’s Point Vision Committee (1999)5
The Branford Royal Grant Lease Committee (2004)7
Part Two: Killam’s Point Long Term Planning Committee (2005-2007)
Process and Background Information for Final Recommendations8
Kaleidoscope (2005-2006)8
Kaleidoscope/Committee Recommendations–June 200610
Congregational Surveys – September–November 200610
Utilities11
Conservation Easement12
Environmental Survey (Winter-Spring 2007)13
Traffic Study, Parking and the Driveway14
The Point House15
Effect of Climate Change on Killam’s Point16
Part Three: A Proposal for Ministry at Killam’s Point
Mission Statement – A Vision for Ministry18
Committee Recommendations based on Feedback and Survey Results19
Graphic – Location of Recommended Structures at Killam’s Point20
Part Four: Estimated Costs and Implementation
Present Operations24
Costs of Recommendations for Future Operations25
Phase One25
Phase Two26
Phase Three26
Additional Costs26
Anticipated Use and Revenue27
Anticipated Expense28
Part Five: Summary28
Appendices-
Appendix I Initial Options for Ministry 30
Appendix II Kaleidoscope Report – Comprehensive Plan for Site and Ministry 36
Appendix III Congregational Survey Results 85
Appendix IV Environmental Report89
Appendix V Traffic Assessment 124
Appendix VI Land and Building Report on Point House 136
“Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.”
Matthew 4:18-20
Part One: Introduction and Background Information[1]
History of Killam’s Point
Following the settling of the Town of Branford in 1644, the First Ecclesiastical Society of the Town of Branford (the “Society”) was organized. The Society’s membership was restricted to members of the First Congregational Church of Branford (“FCC Branford”). The main purpose of the society was to hold the realty of FCC Branford. Legend has it that, in 1693, King Charles II of England granted various parcels of land to the Society. Among the parcels was between 60 to 70 acres of forested land on what is now Long Island Sound. On March 1, 1868, the Society leased this property to Jay Russell for a period of 99 years. Mr. Russell subsequently transferred the lease, in the 1880s, to Henry Killam. The property became known as “Killam’s Point.” Several cottages and houses were constructed on the northern portion of the property.
Mr. Killam invited his business employee, Harvey Shephard, to select a portion of the leased property for summer cottages for his family. Mr. Shephard selected a southern, swampy area and, after many wagonloads of fill were brought in, his two sons each erected a summer cottage, and a third building that was part storage, part living area was also constructed. The location of these buildings and the immediate vicinity became known as “Shephard’s Point.” The cottages became what are now known as the “Point House” and the “Shephard House.” Mr. Killam sublet a parcel just north of Shephard’s Point to William Deloss Love. Mr. Love built a summer cottage, which was later moved to Short Beach. The original stone steps remain and this location is now known as “Love’s Beach.”
With the expiration of the 99-year lease in 1967, approximately 15 acres of the northern portion of Killam’s Point, where cottages and houses had been built, were sold as individual plots to the people who lived in these dwellings. Ownership of the remaining 45 to 55 acres (including the causeway and road to the southern portion and Shephard’s Point) was retained by the Society. This retained portion of Killam’s Point included wilderness, salt marshes, rocky shores and Love’s Beach. Dr. Shephard, the grandson of Mr. Shephard, donated the cottages and adjacent building to the society. None of these buildings had electricity or city water at the time. There was much discussion about what was to be done with this relatively undeveloped 45 to 50 acre parcel.
The Branford Royal Grant Years (1970 – 2005)
In 1970, FCC Branford, under the leadership of its minister, Rev. Roger Manners, and with the assistance of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ, acted with neighboring churches and individuals to organize a non-profit corporation – The Branford Royal Grant Corporation (“BRG”) for the specific purpose to act as a tenant under a lease of the property – to operate and maintain Killam’s Point as a conference and retreat center, as a haven for reconciliation.
The basic policy formulated by the BRG to guide the development of its programs was that “there should be minimal interference with the natural beauty of Killam’s Point or with the delicate ecological balance that nurtures and continues this beauty.” BRG’s three major programmatic goals were to have the Center provide:
1. Resources and opportunity for meditation, spiritual retreat and practice of the devotional life
2. Neutral grounds for those polarized groupings that represent the fragmentation of society
3. A place for church groups to get back in touch with their reason for being.
In June of 1970, the First Ecclesiastical Society of FCC granted BRG a 30 year lease of the property, to run from January 1, 1970 to January 1, 2000. This lease provided that the property was to be used “as a site for supervised religious, educational and social activities for families, adult groups and young people in accordance with the general program and purposes of the BRG.”
The Killam’s Point Conference Center (“KPCC”) had very modest beginnings due to such limitations as non-winterized buildings, and no indoor plumbing, electricity, running water or telephone service. In 1973, in keeping with certain provisions in the lease, the BRG met with an architectural firm to discuss how to meet all the program needs, without encroaching on the natural setting. A design was created for a compound consisting of the two existing houses and a new “Main House” that could accommodate up to 150 people from one or more groups using the facility at the same time. Sleeping accommodations were to be made available at the Point House and Shepard House. The estimate cost for the Main House was $300,000. Fundraising was undertaken, with the Society contributing $25,000. BRG had raised an additional $15,000 ($6,000 of which was pledged by FCC Branford members) when, in 1974, a disastrous fire destroyed the porch and entire southwest gable end of the Point House. The site plans were put aside and new plans were drawn up by architect George Buchanan for the improvement and restoration of the Point House, as well as the improvement of the Shepard House. Among the planned improvements at the Point House were two bathrooms and a steel fire escape from the second floor; a septic system was slated to be installed to serve both the Shepard and the Point Houses. Using the insurance monies received after the fire, the $50,000 in building funds and additional funds raised by BRG, as well as significant volunteer labor from enthusiastic work camps – whose campers came from as far away as Ohio- these plans were accomplished.
Fees for usage of Killam’s Point remained unchanged throughout the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, even though the cost of maintaining the facilities increased. Volunteer labor from BRG and friends of KPCC was utilized to maintain facilities and grounds, replace the waterline and do extensive roadwork. A new septic system and leach field were installed and the size of the leaching field doubled in the mid 1990s.
In the early 1980s, Alexander Killam Murphy (great-grandson of both Henry Killam and William Deloss Love and long-time FCC Branford member) purchased land that could be used to provide an access driveway from Short Beach Road to KPCC driveway. This proposed driveway was intended to provide a means of access to KPCC other than the causeway that was exposed to wave and wind action, as well as wear and tear from vehicle passage. Mr. Murphy deeded this land to the society. In December 1996, the Branford Inland Wetlands Commission granted the Society an additional five years to install the alternative access driveway, with notification that this was the final extension it would grant. In December 1997, it was estimated that the cost of such an alternative access gravel driveway would range from $75,000 to $100,000
The Killam’s Point Ad Hoc Committee
In late 1996, the FCC Branford’s first Killam’s Point Ad Hoc Committee met with representatives of BRG and held numerous meetings, culminating in a proposal that was forwarded to BRG for consideration and discussion. The purpose of the proposal was to strengthen the financial underpinnings of KPCC as it approached the twenty-first century. The proposal envisioned a scenario where, rather than having a straight lease renewal, a permanent charitable foundation would be established. The Foundation would hold legal title to the property comprising KPCC, it would focus on creating a substantial endowment for KPCC, assume responsibility for capital improvements (including repair of the existing road or construction of a new one). The BRG would continue to administer the day to day operation of KPCC, but user fees would be paid to the Foundation. This concept was not pursued further by BRG or FCC.
The Killam’s Point Vision Committee (1999)
In March 1999, Church Council created the Killam’s Point Vision Committee. This committee was given the charge to “establish a vision from the perspective of the First Congregational Church for the future of the Killam’s Point Conference Center.” The Vision Committee solicited input from members of the congregation via a survey conducted of all attendees at the Officers Retreat in May 1999, facilitated meetings with both youth groups, individual sessions with the ministers, two facilitated open forums, two facilitated meetings with members identified as frequent property users and casual conversations with individuals.
Their report to Church Council, June 1999, begins:
“First and foremost, Killam’s Point is an incredible natural ecosystem, truly a part of God’s world for which the membership of the First Congregational Church of Branford is both blessed and fortunate to steward. Killam’s Point is a natural resource through which the Church is able to provide a mission-based outreach to its members and the regional community. It is a means of promoting the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ, whether as an integral part of a specific program or implied through the many opportunities to pray, meditate, and commune within this natural setting. In light of this, the church should not, in fact must not, relinquish ownership of this property.”
It was the belief of the Vision Committee that Killam’s Point should continue to operate as a conference center that is open to churches and religious groups as well as to educational and not-for-profit groups. Concerns were voiced over the poor conditions of Point and Shepard houses. The committee reported on strong interest in establishing a pavilion/chapel on the property, with disagreement as to size of the facility. The committee agreed that an additional structure would be beneficial.
The committee recommended “that careful consideration be given to the idea of bringing in a new access road from Shore Drive, either by Turtle Bay or by the Adult Day Center, as has been proposed in the past. The sentiment is that this road should not be paved, nor should the existing road. Any new road should be designed in a way that eases access, particularly for emergency vehicles, while retaining the sense of ‘leaving civilization’ that the current road provides.”
The committee report continues:
“The committee recognizes that the many suggested infrastructure changes will require a significant sum of money to accomplish. At the same time, these items hopefully don’t need to be undertaken at the same time. We are concerned that a reactive posture, in which items are dealt with only when they become a crisis, is detrimental to the Church’s ability to remain the property holders. The Killam’s Point Conference Center is an important element of our mission or outreach, and appropriate steps should be taken to ensure that it remains so.”
The Vision Committee concludes its report by saying:
“It is somewhat difficult for this congregation to look to the future and see changes take place. At the same time, failure to do so can create greater problems than the Church may be able to handle. It would be greatly disappointing if the Church were put into the position of having to relinquish ownership of the Killam’s Point Conference Center property for lack of good and faithful action. Knowing that this is the largest privately owned natural setting on the Connecticut Shore of Long Island Sound makes it imperative that the members of this Church be good stewards of this small part of God’s world. We need to balance the environmental impact of our actions with the incredible opportunity to utilize this property as a place of communion, sanctuary, and education. It can, with God’s help, be done.”
At the 2001 Annual Meeting the FCC Branford Congregation voted to extend the old lease, while a new 20 year lease was negotiated between BRG and FCC Branford. This new lease was ultimately signed on April 18, 2002.
Branford Royal Grant Lease Committee (2004)
Maintenance problems, lack of participation by BRG churches in Killam’s Point Workdays, and failure of some of the BRG churches to honor their financial obligations continued. In addition, its short-term leases made it difficult for the BRG to raise the money necessary to keep Killam’s Point Conference Center in good condition. Deferred maintenance left Killam’s Point Conference Center in disrepair. Water lines froze numerous times in the winter of 2003 because the fuel lines were so cold that the fuel gelled, and the Point House furnace was unable to work. The in-ground water lines had deteriorated to the point that they leaked continuously.
Poor communication between some members of the BRG Board and the FCC resulted in a motion being made and passed at the FCC 2004 Annual Meeting to have a task force appointed to consider whether FCC Branford should give notice of termination to BRG, pursuant to the one-year notice provision in the current lease. FCC Branford Church Council, in February 2004, approved a motion to have the moderator set up a committee of five people to consider termination of the lease with BRG. After meetings and discussions with the BRG, the committee concluded that the BRG was neither interested nor capable of correcting the numerous health, safety, maintenance and code violations that existed at Killam’s Point. The recommendation of the committee to terminate the lease with BRG, effective 12/1/2005 was accepted at a Special Meeting of the Congregation held in late fall, 2004.
Part Two: Killam’s Point Long Term Planning Committee (2005-2007)
Process and Background Information for Final Recommendations
In the fall of 2004, Church Council voted to create the current Killam’s Point Long Term Planning Committee. Members were selected by Moderator Susan Miller, Moderator-elect Geoffrey Squitiero, and the Senior Minister, Gary Smith. The committee was charged with creation of a long-term plan for management of Killam’s Point by First Congregational Church, following termination of the lease with Branford Royal Grant in December 2005. A Long Term Plan for Killam’s Point would be received by Church Council, and then be presented for approval at a Special Meeting of the Congregation. The committee held its first meeting in January 2005. Written guidelines and policy for committee members’ conduct and committee operations were established by the Committee in February 2005. The committee has had approximately 20 meetings and 3 workshops, sponsored 6 meetings for members of the congregation, and published approximately15 Spire articles and 5 informational handouts since its inception.
Congregational meetings were held in January and February of 2005 in order for members of the congregation to share their visions for Killam’s Point with the Long Term Planning Committee. In addition, the committee requested written input from the congregation. It was immediately apparent that there were numerous environmental, regulatory, political, emotional and building considerations that would impact upon a final plan. The members of the Committee believed that in order to create a consensus plan for ministry at Killam’s Point that would succeed financially and spiritually, as well as respect the environment, professional guidance would be required. With the approval of Church Council, the Committee retained the services of Kaleidoscope, Inc., professional camp, retreat and conference center planning consultants (