Re: Committees
Dave Hultberg (dave.hultberg@PAONLINE.COM)
Mon, 27 Jan 1997 19:28:51 +0000
On Thu, 23 Jan 1997 10:41:26 -0800, Tim Goncharoff
<tgonchar@CATS.UCSC.EDU> wrote:
>I have posted the list before about the schism between our Troop
>Committee and the Program staff (SM, ASM, etc.), but I am in need of =
more
>advice.
In some ways I have been on both sides of this issue. I was an ASM
and then a Committee Member under the previous Scoutmaster and
Committee Chair. The Scoutmaster thought that the committee and in
particular the Committee Chair was trying to micomanage him. He made
some of the same arguments, that it isn't the committee's function to
run the program, but to support the SM and the PLC and provide
administrative oversight. The biggest bone of contention was the CC
getting the committee to change previously planned and approved
outings, without consulting the SM or PLC. The SM would speak out
against the changes at the committee meeting, but was often outvoted.
I frequently sided with the SM after joining the committee, so I was
not on the CC's A list. For example, the PLC voted at the 95-96
annual planning meeting to go to Haliburton Scout Reserve in Ontario
for summer camp with a cost not to exceed what it would cost to go to
our own council camp. The committee changed summer camp to the
council camp and made the Canada camp a separate additional camp
limited to 1st Class and above. =20
The CC and SM were both hardheaded individuals. I think the CC wanted
to fire the SM, but the SM had the backing of the Charter Organization
Rep. The SM submitted his resignation over the summer and the CC
recruited a new SM with committee and CR approval. The CC also
indicated she wanted to go back to just being a committee member. No
one wanted to volunteer to be the new CC, except the old SM which
would never get through the committee. The old SM persuaded me to
toss my name into the ring. After talking to him, I talked to the CR
who thought it was a good idea. When the old CC found out, she tried
to find a last minute opponent and failed, so the committee voted to
elect me CC.
The above is a long winded summary to try to give the background to
understand my views. IMHO, the PLC, SM and ASMs are reponsible for
planning and carrying out the troop's program. The primary role of
the committee is to support them financially and logistically, so that
they can carry out the troop program. The committee should exercise
oversight in areas of national, council or chartered organization
policy. The committee votes to approve the annual plan devised by the
PLC, but should not change the plan except in matters of safety,
policy, innability to support it financially. For example, if the SM
forgot that Paintball is prohibited, I would have no problem directing
him to have the PLC decide on an alternative activity. However, I
don't think the committee should tell the PLC that a campout is not
approved, because I or other committee members would rather see our
kids go to another camp.
The SM and the CC need to work together. If they can't, then the CR
needs to replace one or both of them for the good of the troop. I
just hope I am the right one to heal some of the wounds inflicted on
my troop over the past couple of years.
YIS,
Dave Hultberg, CC Troop 196 & Team 196
Adventure District Advancement Committee
Keystone Area Council, Mechanicsburg, PA
I used to be a Bobwhite (NE-VI-34), but I'll always be an Eagle
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
