2024-06-21T17:18:49-07:00 2023-12-31 061609121 Adam P Cohen CPA LLC 81 South Main St Suite 9 West Hartford CT 06107 990 2023-01-01 061203660 Cornwall Conservation Trust Inc CORN 8606726263 P O Box 74 West Cornwall CT 06796 Barton Jones President 2024-05-27 true Barton Jones 999009999 true Adam P Cohen P00046319 8605216400 X 2 AAL1 IAL1 FAL1 2023 2023-04-26 12:10:37Z Barton Jones President 228476 false X www.cornwallconservationtrust.org X 1987 CT Acquisition or control and conservation of land in Litchfield County and the Town of Cornwall, Connecticut. To promote scientific study and educational endeavors. To use all the properties held or controlled for the benefit of the general public. 15 15 1 30 0 182531 111657 0 52384 116819 0 234915 228476 4800 6000 0 12383 0 0 5575 87927 82610 105110 88610 129805 139866 12487321 12880254 8817 211612 12478504 12668642 X Acquisition or control and conservation of land in Litchfield County and the Town of Cornwall, Connecticut. To promote scientific study and educational endeavors. To use all the properties held or controlled for the benefit of the general public. false false 38295 Stewardship expenditures: o Cornwall Conservation Trust's land manager works on mapping, staking laying out trails and other stewardship activities relating to the Trust's properties. o Insurance on the Trust's properties; o Mapping; o Communication with members and townspeople, including enhancements to newsletter and invitations to townspeople to enjoy newly created trails.Expenses $38,295. 11686 Ancillary land acquisition costs - Legal fees of $987, appraisal fees of $699, and surveying fees of $10,000 associated with the anticipated land acquistions in future years. Total cost $11,686. 6000 6000 The Trust awarded twelve scholarships to students who graduated from Housatonic Regional High School and who were enrolled or were entering college to assist them in studies relating to conservation. Expenses $6,000 -11686 44295 true true false false false false true false false true false true true false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 8 0 true 1 true false false false false false false false 0 false false false false false false false X 15 15 false false false false true true false true true false false true true true true true true false false false CT X Barton Jones 8606726263 P O Box 74 West Cornwall CT 067960074 X Barton Jones President 15.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Robinson Lacy Vice President 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Jean D Bouteiller to 62023 Treasurer 3.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Martin Horner fr 62023 Treasurer 3.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Patrick Mulberry Secretary 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Debby Bennett Director 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Larry Master Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 William Evans Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Jean D Bouteiller Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Edward Greene Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Terry Burke Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Martin Horner Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Andrea Geisser Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Katherine Freygang Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Oscar Anderson Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Fiona Ocain Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Aaron Landman Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 0 false false false 0 2000 109657 111657 0 25693 25693 0 0 0 91126 91126 91126 91126 0 0 0 0 228476 116819 X 0 6000 6000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10789 9710 1079 989 989 10913 10913 0 0 11720 11720 22616 14476 5508 2632 0 1418 1418 4226 313 3913 0 7364 2878 3035 1451 0 0 1000 1000 0 0 0 7992 7071 921 Dues and Subscriptions 1858 1858 Printing and postage 1725 233 1492 0 88610 44295 38740 5575 38914 70974 44478 44442 200700 0 0 0 0 0 9966 24672 0 0 936230 1081733 11457733 11457733 0 0 12487321 12880254 6317 8412 2500 203200 8817 211612 X 6741372 6858211 5737132 5810431 12478504 12668642 12487321 12880254 139866 50272 X false true X true false X 420526 1084140 626597 182531 111657 2425451 0 0 420526 1084140 626597 182531 111657 2425451 32286 2393165 3358 1700 2937 4849 25693 38537 0 0 2463988 0.97130 0.83310 X Support Schedule: Additional Supplemental Information Unusual grants excluded from public support test:2020: Contribution of 41-acre Cathedral Pines property valued at $140,000. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED X X X 14 77 7 1 true 90 1500 true 936230 25200 165623 6000 2600 11720 1106733 1124448 200 -126924 4800 40000 16694 936230 1073949 10242 87570 7200 20000 20113 1124448 958544 25240 153049 7700 35000 20184 1073949 951517 38776 151444 165714 17479 958544 0.98000 0.02000 true false false 1081733 11457733 X 267028 50272 -11720 38552 228476 228476 76890 76890 11720 11720 88610 Part II, Line 9: Organization Reporting of conservation easements. Part II, #9 - The Trust reports conservation easements in a note to the financial statements:Note 7 - Land Held by Cornwall Conservation Trust, Inc.[Followed by listing of 40 properties owned by the Trust.]CCT holds 14 conservation easements within the Town of Cornwall, which are not recorded as assets, totaling about 776 acres at December 31, 2023."Part II, #5: CCT'S CONSERVATION EASEMENTS POLICYWe do not accept easements (or gifts of land) without careful, prior consideration.Our Conservation Committee is specifically charged with screening proposals from landowners. .All easements must pass two tests -- our own land and resource evaluation requirements (based on a proprietary check-list) and IRS requirements. The Board of Directors reviews each proposal at least twice: initially to make sure the above requirements are fully met and again prior to the closing when documentation has been checked for timeliness and acceptability. Only then is an easement formally agreed by Board vote. We engage outside legal counsel to insure the easement language is satisfactory. .As for monitoring, each easement is monitored by a paid professional and may be accompanied by one or more Board members and/or volunteers assigned as steward(s). The paid professional and the stewards are expected to visit the landowners and their properties at least once a year and to complete a copy of our Easement Monitoring Report form, which is then placed in file at our office. .Through 2023, there have been no significant infractions of easement terms that we know of. Were we to discover such, we would insist the landowner(s) desist and/or remove the infringement(s), and if truly necessary take legal action. Our existing easements are covered by monetary "endowments" to help defray monitoring and/or potential future legal costs.Sch. D - Part XI, #5, Part XII, #2b, Part XIII, #2a - Donated Services - The Cornwall Conservation Trust (CCT) receives substantial donated services from officers, Board members and volunteers. These services are not recorded as revenues and expenses in the financial statements.Directors contribute many all out-of-pocket costs of fundraising.During 2023, volunteers donated a substantial number of hours cutting, clearing and marking trails in CCT's preserves including Cooley and Trinity preserves..Several volunteers led hikes on our trails. .Several individuals provide volunteer haying of CCT's fields.CCT includes the value of land donated to the conservation trust in contributions and as assets on the balance sheet. CCT values such assets based on appraisals and expenditures for transaction costs. Part V, Line 4: Intended uses of the endowment fund. CCT invested the cash proceeds of the Gloeckner bequest, which are unrestricted by the donor, at The Community Foundation of Northwest Connecticut, Inc.(the Foundation). The Trust has since added other contributions to these funds.The Board established four agency funds at the Foundation: operating, stewardship, reserve and operating reserve. The stewardship category includes several subfunds. Board designations for the funds are included in the agreement with the Foundation. CCT may add to existing funds and create new subfunds. The Foundation invests all funds following the guidelines of the Foundation's investment policy. The Foundation's investments are invested in a joint investment pool with the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven (CFGNH). The Foundation provides periodic reporting for each of the investment funds and subfunds separately identified by CCT. Each fund held by The Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation is allocated investment income based on units in the NWCTCF's commingled investment pool. Based on the CFGNH's December 31, 2023 audited financial statements the pool is invested approximately 52% in equities, 35% in real and alternative investments, 12% in fixed income and 1% in short-term investments. Both principal and income may be used for purposes designated by the CCT Board of Directors. CCT's Board may authorize the expenditure of income by a simple majority vote at a Board meeting. Expenditures of principal are intended to be limited to exceptional circumstances and require the approval of three-fourths of the entire Board. CCT may transfer funds to another qualified charitable organization or to CCT, itself, for investment management, also requiring the approval of three-fourths of the entire Board, as well as the consent of the Board of Directors of the Foundation.In 2023 CCT received $25,000 from the estate of Hector Prud'homme. The $25,000 has been placed in a Fidelity money market account, and only investment income can be spent by CCT. Part X : FIN48 Footnote Management has determined that the Trust has no uncertain tax positions that would require financial statement recognition or disclosure. The Trust's federal information returns prior to 2018 are generally not subject to examination. Part XII, Line 4b: Other revenue amounts included on 990 but not included in F/S Investment Management Fees $11720 false 0 0 Scholarships 12 6000 Form 990, Part III, Line 4d OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 4: Less surveying, appraisal, and legal fees associated with anticipated future land acquisitions capitalized $11,686. Form 990, Part VI, Section A, Line 6 CCT By-Laws, Article II, Section 2: "The annual meeting of the members shall be held in the fall of each year... for the purpose of electing Directors and transacting any other business which may properly come before the meeting." Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b The Form 990 is prepared by the Trust's CPA, following the audit of the Trust's annual financial statements. The draft return is reviewed by the President, Treasurer and Finance Committee. The draft return is then distributed via email to the Board for their comments. During the year, in anticipation of the filing, our CPA communicates with the officers regarding information needed for proper disclosure. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c By virtue of Article III, Section 1 of CCT's By-laws each Board member signs a conflict of interest policy statement upon election. Thereafter each Board member is required to sign and date an annual statement reaffirming the basic statement. At a Board meeting the President inquires if anyone has any conflicts or problems in signing the annual statements. Board members recuse themselves from participation in any decisions with which they have an actual or potential conflict of interest, in accordance with applicable state law. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 Governing documents, policies and financial statements are disclosed, as required, in accordance with state law.