Troop Money
Kim Moye (kmoye@SUN2177.SPD.DSCCC.COM)
Tue, 9 Dec 1997 07:58:19 -0600
Don brought up a problem about a Scoutmaster "borrowing" troop funds.
Unfortunately, this happens in Scouting more frequently than one might think
(right, Cathy :)
We had the same problem, and while it is up to your troop committee and
chartered rep to decide if legal means should be pursued...he needs to
resign immediately.
If you are honest with the adults and tell them what has happened, you may
be surprised to have someone step forward. The ASMs can take turns until
a permanent replacement is found, but someone has to be designated on the
charter.
Our pack lost a lot of money. Council was no help in this situation.
They said any decision was ours, but if we pursued legal action, BSA would
not pay any legal expense. They did not tell us what options we had
open.
The pack committee chose *NOT* to pursue legal action. It was a difficult
decision, but it was based on 1) this man had been a role model to the boys
for two years and had done a good job as cubmaster. We did not want to
have the boys lose faith in Scouts. 2) We knew being in a small town,
we would be front page news (my *divorce* made the local papers), and 3)
the man still had family going to the school that is our partner.
Did we do the right thing? *I* think for us, we did. We became more
self sufficient instead of relying on one person to do it. The chartered
rep would have had to become involved since technically its their monies.
That would not have gone over to good. We had a lawyer in the pack who
offered to help us with legal advice. We also contacted the local police
who were helpful with advice on what we could do as far as criminal charges.
We can't be sure how much we lost. Best guess is between $2,000-3,000 over
a period of two years. Quite a lot to write off, but we recovered and are
going strong.
We put in many checks and balances. We benefitted, as stupid as that may
sound, from our errors.
Good luck on whatever you decide, but the chartered rep and troop committee
*can* decide whether they want him prosecuted.
You can try and ask him to make restitition, but I would kick him out
so fast he wouldn't know what hit him.
yis,
kim moye
cubmaster/pack 308/allen, tx/circle 10 council
cub rt commish/arrowhead district
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