Dec. 22—FROSTBURG — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources might buy the Savage River Lodge in Garrett County.
A Nov. 20 letter from the DNR to Garrett County Board of Commissioners Chair Paul Edwards, State Sen. Mike McKay and Del. Jim Hinebaugh states it is “notification of a potential real estate acquisition in Garrett County” and lists 41.96 acres on Mount Aetna Road.
The “property is being considered by (DNR) as a potential addition to Savage River State Forest,” it states.
“Your sensitivity to the information provided would be appreciated as DNR may enter into negotiations with a willing private landowner and final price and contract terms may not have been reached,” the letter states. “Please contact our office within 30 days of receipt of this letter should you have any questions or comments. Those comments will be considered prior to the submission of the acquisition to the Board of Public Works.”
According to state Department of Assessments and Taxation records, the map, grid and parcel numbers in the letter match properties located at 1600 Mount Aetna Road in Frostburg listed as Savage River Lodge Condo owned by Russell-Dreisbach LLC.
‘Had the dream’Savage River Lodge “is completely surrounded by more than 700 acres of state forest lands,” according to its website. “We offer a rare brand of privacy, unparalleled relaxation and a myriad of opportunities for fun.”
The website lists some background information for owners Mike Dreisbach and Jan Russell.
“Before starting the lodge, he and Jan had the Nature of Business, a business consulting firm,” it states. “Being from Western Maryland, Mike looked to Garrett County when he and Jan had the dream to start their lodge.”
Dreisbach did not respond to questions from the Cumberland Times-News earlier this month.
Listed for salePrweb.com shows the lodge was for sale for $7.9 million in 2020 and describes the property as situated on 43 private acres surrounded by 700 acres of Savage River State Forest.
“Savage River Lodge is a nationally recognized destination,” a press release on the website states. “There are 18 charming cabins, 8 unique yurts, a picturesque 3-bedroom residence and a stunning 10,000 square foot lodge with a spacious dining room well-known for gourmet American cuisine.”
Also in 2020, Russell told the Cumberland Times-News the lodge would donate 50 free one-night stays to people in Western Maryland who had helped their community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lodge, which opened in 1999 as a way for guests to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern living by retreating to the peace and quiet of nature, like many other businesses in Maryland was deemed non-essential and temporarily closed on March 23, the newspaper reported at the time.
“We’ve been closed for eight weeks,” Russell said. “It’s been tough,” the newspaper reported and added the couple questioned how they were going to pay bills and employees.
‘Interest of transparency’Earlier this month, DNR Media Relations Manager Gregg Bortz said the owners of Savage River Lodge on Sept. 12 met with DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz “and others in DNR leadership” in Annapolis to discuss their operations.
“DNR management routinely talks with landowners of tracts that abut or reside within DNR properties on their potential future use of their lands,” he said at the time. “As this was an informal meeting there was no agenda nor minutes taken.”
DNR doesn’t discuss potential transactions, “but if one moves forward it would become a public process before the Board of Public Works,” Bortz said.
Tuesday, he said the letter sent to Edwards, McKay and Hinebaugh goes to local legislative delegations to advise of potential actions within their districts.
“We stress that this does NOT mean a course of action is determined, but is an early notification in the interest of transparency,” Bortz said via email.
Edwards responded Thursday to questions from the Cumberland Times-News.
“I was not invited, nor were any of the commissioners, to a meeting regarding this issue,” Edwards said via email.
“As far as my opinion, I always support a private property owner being able to sell their property to an interested buyer,” he said. “I don’t know if this is good or bad for Garrett County, as I do not know what plans DNR may have for it.”
On Friday, McKay said he was not privy to the Annapolis discussion on the issue.
“I was not invited to the meeting, and I understand the meeting was initiated by the owners of the lodge,” he said via email.
McKay questioned whether the possible transaction is being vetted with full transparency.
“I am a property rights guy, so if some one wants to sell and a buyer wants to purchase, so be it,” he said. “However, since the buyer is the state, we must engage the community at large.”
McKay said he believes DNR is following the process for acquiring land according to regulations.
“If there is an offer from DNR, then the community should be afforded the chance to voice its opinion,” he said. “The (DNR) secretary has given me his assurance this will be followed. When the time comes, if it ever does, my office is prepared to help the DNR with scheduling and facilitating community input meetings in Garrett County.”
Because the land involved in the proposal covers less than 100 acres, and is 47.1 acres according to McKay, Garrett County commissioners do not have to approve the transaction, he said.
Hinebaugh did not respond to a request for comments.
DNR businesses, venuesBortz said a number of DNR properties contain buildings that are or historically were lodging facilities and other services or businesses.
He said “a few of them” include:
—New Germany State Park, which “features a lake house, snack bar and cabins for rent, and shares boundaries with Savage River State Forest.”
—Herrington Manor State Park which “features a lake house, snack bar and cabins for rent, and is largely surrounded by Garrett State Forest.”
—South Mountain Inn “was purchased by DNR earlier this year for use as a potential state park visitor center. It was formerly a well-known local restaurant.”
—Rocky Gap State Park has a “chalet, mini-cabins and yurts for rent, DNR also leases to the hotel/casino.”
“We also provide a list of our properties that are rented as wedding venues,” Bortz said.
‘Collapse of public trust’Jeff Conner is a certified public accountant and Garrett County resident.
While he understands that it’s nothing new for the state to buy land, commercial properties come with more costs involved, he said.
“I’m opposed,” Conner said of the state buying the lodge.
John Bambacus, former state senator and mayor of Frostburg, is a member of the Garrett County Forestry Board.
He also questioned the potential transaction.
In an email to McKay, Bambacus wrote the public had no idea that taxpayer money could be used to purchase a resort within the confines of the Savage River State Forest.
“It’s stunning that there is no accountability or transparency to the citizens of Garrett County that a deal like this one might be in the near future,” Bambacus wrote. “This type of secrecy and moral confusion on the part of DNR leadership only adds to the collapse of public trust.”
Past connections, conflictsDreisbach is president of Garrett Trails.
Last year, he and the group supported an effort that set aside $4.7 million in the DNR budget for proposed trails in the designated Wild Youghiogheny River corridor, which in the past many years has been protected by multiple legal layers.
The Yough trail plan, if completed, could make the outdoor destination in the area “bigger than it’s ever been,” Dreisbach said at the time.
No public meetings were held before Gov. Larry Hogan signed off on the bill that allocated the funds.
The trail proposal never came to fruition, but left a bitter taste of distrust in the palates of many area residents.
In an email to McKay, Bambacus wrote of “the lack of transparency and forthrightness in DNR and Secretary Kurtz, in particular, dealing with the same person who was instrumental in developing plans to violate the laws and regulations of Maryland’s only Wild and Scenic River. As a steward of our state parks and forests, we count on you to protect us from another sordid land deal.”
Blocking public accessMike Sawyers is a former Cumberland Times-News reporter and outdoor editor.
In late 2006, he reported on “No Parking” signs and a locking gate on the edge of Savage River State Forest.
Dreisbach at the time said his guests at the lodge had been approached and intimidated by unruly and sometimes inebriated hunters.
Several Garrett County hunters at the time said they had been approached by Dreisbach in a confrontational manner and ordered off public land.
“The Maryland Natural Resources Police was unable to document such claims by either side,” Sawyers reported.
In 2011, Sawyers reported that at the request of Dreisbach and Russell, who complained that rowdy partiers on the public land were ruining the experience of guests at the upscale lodge, the state in early 2008 had constructed a $13,000 automatic gate that controlled late-hour access to Savage River Lodge.
The gate was later destroyed, possibly by lightning, but would be repaired only if necessary, the Maryland Forest Service said at the time.
“Among those objecting to the original construction of the gate were hunters who sought access to state forest land in that area before 5:30 a.m.,” Sawyers reported.
Teresa McMinn is a reporter for the Cumberland Times-News. She can be reached at 304-639-2371 or tmcminn@times-news.com.
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