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Showing content with the highest reputation on 12/15/20 in Posts

  1. The fact they didn't even ask for feedback is the problem. This is a top-down directed requirement based on appeasement.
    4 points
  2. SE compensation is not the issue with the council structure we have today. I am not supporting the current SE salaries. SE salaries become yet another example that people point to as an issue of council mis-management, but it is not the primary cause. If people were happy with the council operations the complaints would be less. Since people are unhappy, SE salaries become as example that we point to. Shrinking SE salaries will only serve to remove that specific complaint - it will not resolve the core concerns.
    3 points
  3. Can you say that with a good John Wayne impersonation?
    3 points
  4. What concerns me is that this places the largest denominational sponsor of Scouting units and many of the local churches in a potentially adversarial relationship with the BSA. There will be hesitancy to continue to sponsor units at the present time in this type of environment. Many of the United Methodist Churches have sponsored Scouting for decades. A whole new group of church leaders are now working with the packs and troops today and have had no understanding of their role and accountability as an "Owner" of a Scouting unit(s). Unfortunately, most of our COR's have not been trained, do
    3 points
  5. I agree that program fees are preferable to FOS. Yet, we need to recognize that program fees need to be accompanied with tangible value add from the council. Charging a Scout $50 per year to fund council operations need to then be accompanied with some sort of obvious return on that fee. One of the challenges with the transition to program fees is that the funding structure is designed to show value to people who donate to Scouting. DEs and staffs who are focused on building and growing Scouting are working to accomplish goals that are interesting to people who are donating to Scouting
    2 points
  6. LDS history goes way way back. Long before Varsity Scouting. 1913 The Church officially joins the Boy Scouts of America as its first charter organization, adopting the program as the activity arm of its Mutual Improvement Association. 1928 The Church designates Scouting as the official activity program for young men ages 12–16.
    2 points
  7. IMO the chartered organization model should never have existed simply because it had too many fatal flaws. I can't remember all my early scouting history, but I hardly think having churches use scouting as youth ministry is what BP had in mind. And not to say that we should be overly concerned with what BP had in mind because what worked then doesn't always work now. But if the general concept is that scouting is a game with a purpose, where does scouts as perpetual Sunday School fit into that? Some COs exert too much influence on scouting to suit their own needs, to the point where units can
    2 points
  8. I've conducted trainings as we also have a 20% administrative fee. As you said, the money has to come from somewhere. For example, if we are using Doubleknot for registration, that cost/costs money to keep and maintain. When I do Leave No Trace, everyone walks away with a cathole trowel. That money isn't magically appearing out of nowhere. Staff don't work for free. Etc. I don't hold it against these people that they need money to operate. I think too many people here believe Council staff should work for free.
    2 points
  9. 2. In October 2020, several Conferences of the United Methodist Church and many United Methodist Churches retained Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP “Bradley” to represent their interests in these Chapter 11 Cases.The addresses and identities of the Conferences of the United Methodist Church that retained Bradley are set forth in Exhibit A. The addresses and identities of the United Methodist Churches that retained by Bradley are attached as Exhibit B. 3. Each of the United Methodist Churches set forth in Exhibit B is a Chartered Organization and holds a Claim2 against debtor Boy Scouts o
    2 points
  10. Not really. The top dog is usually the one who speaks with knowledge and authority. When they speak, everyone listens. Sometimes that person is the council president. SE's are as good or bad as the people who select them, as well as the council presidents. My experience is SE's lack vision and Council Presidents tend to be narcissistic business leaders. SE's got the position as a reward for hard work (and little politics). Council presidents got there with a little bullying. Not always of course, but the system design encourages that kind of progression. Again, the issue is bring
    2 points
  11. Ah, now that would be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive MB program. My $0.02, well at least here
    2 points
  12. Interesting tone to this thread. Certainly sounds like everyone’s experience has been a mixed bag as it relates to the volunteer/professional relationship. Too bad since we all wear the same uniform and should all be focused on the same thing, a quality program for youth. When we’re all working toward that goal in our respective positions from the scoutmaster to the committee member, from the DE to the den leader and from the camp cook to the cub master. No ones perfect, there are great examples of each of these people and bad examples too. Of course if you’re jaded, you’ve been poisoned with
    2 points
  13. Name one MB where feedback was collected from boots-on-the-ground before roll-out.
    2 points
  14. QUESTION ... Perhaps it was written on a previous page. A current life scout, if thy don't complete requirements by May for Eagle, then, they need to complete this badge for Eagle? GTA section 4 says rank requirements are stable once the scout earns the previous rank and they don't change. This topic should just be part of one or more of the existing citizenship badges. ... OR ... merge all the citizenship badges and add this new badge. Scouts should be out doing more active MBs with their rank representing that activity. We've got just too many "required" MBs.
    2 points
  15. Scouting is a very funny enterprise. As a professional, the SE is not that senior a position. I've got numerous volunteers in my unit and district who are more accomplished professionally than our SE. Yet, the organization is setup to treat the SE like they are a high level politician or dignitary. The same is true with the council president. It strikes me that some humility and understanding of servant leadership in these roles is a good thing. I'm constantly reminded that we are all here as servants of unit level Scouters. I think a SE and DEs who recognize this are an asset to th
    2 points
  16. My Council has started charging a facility fee for camps...1.50 per person/per day. Many of us veteran Scouts and Scouters spent countless hours and our own funds on maintaining those camps over the years. One of our old-timers and Executive Board member (now residing with the Great Master of all Scouts) once told me he never donated cash. He would ask the Ranger what he needed for the camp, and he would procure it and take it up there. That way the SE couldn't "divert" the funds to other purposes.
    1 point
  17. Charging scouts a $50 council fee has zero value to those scouts whose units don't attend council events. For the boys in my unit, there would have been no return on that fee. It's just another tax.
    1 point
  18. I knew John Wayne's cousin. John's real name was Marion; his cousin's name was Maurice. He used to play the piano for us at the Farmer's Grange for our 4-H Christmas parties. Somehow both an artist and a mountain man type. He was famous for his snapping turtle soup, which he caught himself. Interesting family.
    1 point
  19. The Sexual Abuse Survivor Proof of Claim Form, at Sec. 4, Sub P H requests, in pertinent part, the "name and location of the organization that hosted meetings of your Scouting unit, during the time of the sexual abuse." Although it includes a caveat that the CO's, "are not currently parties to the bankruptcy," the question wouldn't be in the POC if there was anything other than the intention to pursue them in the same manner as the LC's. The LC's liability/involvement in the bankruptcy is similarly caveated. I realize you are aware of this, but I think the need to defend against asserted
    1 point
  20. OK, using your metric, the evil SE makes 7.61% of our $2.7M expenditures.
    1 point
  21. My understanding is that this was a point of organizational concern but that National when it was created in 1911 was unable to know who in a community was of good character/good leader but that the COs (originally called "Sponsoring Institution" would. In other words, everyone "knew" that local churches were of good moral character and would therefore do the vetting for Scouting to pick good, moral leaders. Same thing with fraternal organizations, etc. This 1934 Boys Life notes . Of course since then the idea collapsed as COs looked at their role as room/hall rental faciliti
    1 point
  22. A follow up on this because I think it is important. Let's take one of biggest councils that I know of: Michigan Crossroads. Expenses in 2019 were $17,619,710. The S.E. for Michigan Crossroads makes salary $229,010 plus other compensation $56,000 = $285,010 Total Compensation = 1.61% https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/454003240/08_2020_prefixes_41-45%2F454003240_201912_990_2020082517254775 How about a mid-size? Heart of Virginia https://www.connectva.org/groups/heart-of-virginia-council-inc-boy-scouts-of-america/financials/ Expenses i
    1 point
  23. As for salaries, there's no "magic number" BUT having worked for and with not-for-profits for years, the GENERAL rule of thumb is 1-10% of the organizations expenses. The last big study I was aware of was 2016. https://d20umu42aunjpx.cloudfront.net/2016+CEO+Comp+Study/2016+CEO+Compensation+Study.pdf It affirmed what I mentioned: that 1-10% ratio depends on the size of the organization. Ironically SMALLER organizations tend to have a LARGER percent of their expenditures to CEO compensation (closer to 10%). So comparing the CEO's salaries to local median or per capita isn'
    1 point
  24. Where have you been all my Scouting life?? 😁
    1 point
  25. Agreed. To me that is why the program fee will hopefuly offset costs. I can only reference my own experience. In the councils I worked we only charged an overhead fee on program events, camporees, day events etc. Training was and should be 100% no charge IMO. Higher, more elevated trainings like wood badge does need to have a fee considering all the food, and supplies needed. And National also charges for some of their trianings, I never had any experience with those though. They seem like good opportunites for those that wish to make that investment. My guess is if training has a cost realt
    1 point
  26. Ours gets over $210K, with the median income per family (not per capita) in our area at $88K. Parents balk at donating to FOS when they hear those numbers...
    1 point
  27. There is a toxic WB culture in this council. Heck no! When building budgets for training events, we always had to build in extra to the fees to provide revenue to the council (at the direction of professional staff advisers to whatever event it was.) Made me sick to my stomach... And now, how many events are we going to cancel because we don't have a Short-Term Camp Administrator? (Yes, this was pushed from national, but councils will be the enforcers.) Can't even tell you who our UC is this month (or is it this week??) ??? DE's, yes. But SE's?? N
    1 point
  28. You too sound like a remarkable professional and I thank you for your service. I regret that you felt animosity from volunteers. There is something in the Scouting program in the past 25 years (and maybe longer) that has setup many adversarial relationships. It's not just volunteers and professionals - it's within the volunteer ranks too. I have a several friends who are professionals through my years as a volunteer. There are good people and bad people in any role - volunteers, professionals, you name it. The good people you cherish, the bad people you tend to ignore.
    1 point
  29. Our best DE was a retired engineer with 20 years as the SM or a top 5 level troop. He didn't need the money and had a good understanding of how to do the job..
    1 point
  30. Not your basic shower curtains... well done. Source link below. https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2020/12/14/Boy-Scouts-create-COVID-19-hug-booth-for-Texas-nursing-home/5631607963987/
    1 point
  31. Generally BSA seems to have done well in determining merit badges. Some people have said the requirements have been nerfed over time, that wouldn't suprise me. It's hard to compete on a basis of hard work in a culture that prizes instant gratification. Yet providing opportunities and direction for becoming a principled human being is what scouts are supposed to be about. Hence the disagreement about this specific badge and the greater concern over the direction of BSA in general. If it isn't going to provide the expected value, and continue its slow morphing into merely another vessel for prop
    1 point
  32. “... they’re the brainiacs who create new merit badges ...” In other words: we’re not.
    1 point
  33. Name one that wasn't: https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2013/08/12/how-to-suggest-a-new-merit-badge/
    1 point
  34. This is the first I heard of ANY feedback being accepted. That they aren't interested in feedback from PAYING members at large is more than a little disconcerting
    1 point
  35. 1) Check with your Troop's Charter Org and Charter Org Representative. If you don't know who that is, contact your District Executive (available thru the Council Website). I will assume the Adult Leaders you speak of are "trained"? and "registered"? and probably on the Troop Committee? Not much use then, in talking to them? 2) Talk to the other Scout parents. Any others of like opinion? There is safety and value in numbers. 3) Collect your evidence (sounds very persuasive to me) , include past years stuff as appropriate, and contact your Council Scout Executive directly,
    1 point
  36. I've been to a lot of bake sales. They are all a game of chance.
    1 point
  37. 1 point
  38. Degree and a pulse, with the latter being negotiable.
    1 point
  39. I have to agree with this. The District my Father helped lead in the south suburbs of Chicago in the 1970s was like a small, high-quality council. The top business people, best past unit leaders and wealthy socialites all converged to promote a local cause that was considered to be central to their community. When I much later served as that Council's president, I went back to see my small town mayor. He remembered the names of the DEs we had in those days -- they stayed for years and were well-known. Today Districts often lack the prestige and opportunity they once provided to professiona
    1 point
  40. I have a record of going beyond rearranging things at the council, district and unit levels. I find these stargazing prophecies out of touch with reality. RARELY, do volunteers have the skills of fund raising or even recruiting. In fact, most lack the skills to perform the task they given. In most cases, tradition keeps the machine working, just not efficiently. Efficiency seems to depend on the luck of skilled volunteers found. DEs are worth their weight in gold if the have vision of quality skills and ability to recruit. Fund raising always gets in their way, and ironically I find
    1 point
  41. Volunteer District Executives? Some councils will greatly downsize their professional staffs -- many already have. A broadly-held opinion that emerged from posts this spring was a preference that unit-serving executives be prioritized. My unscientific observation is that preservation of DE functions has in fact been a priority as councils have adjusted their staffs, but we can reasonably assume there will be fewer DEs who will be asked to cover more units. I think there are volunteers who would be willing to serve in a new role as unpaid (perhaps expense-reimbursed) executives. Such r
    1 point
  42. Or maybe we should step back and ask about the point of this topic. Besides the fact that "cultural changes" is just asking for a fight (that I'd like to wave off right now), how does it help? The only thing we can control is how we respond to our environment. I don't see a point in discussing the what-ifs. Rather than describe, discuss and explain a future that we're all clueless about, how about talk about what we're doing locally, to help our units get through what has to be the worst year for scouting ever. This is like the predictions that magazines put out around new years, only it's the
    1 point
  43. Anyone have the BSA Brimmed Hat (formerly the Expedition Hat)? https://www.scoutshop.org/brimmed-hat-600016.html It's surprisingly cheap at $37.99 for a Stetson hat. Just wondering how the quality actually is, if it's durable, holds up over time, etc. Also, is it the moldable kind of felt/wool that you can shape with hot steam?
    1 point
  44. We're scouters. We thrive on useless information.
    1 point
  45. Not hardly. We were just recovering from a council-mandated restructuring of the districts that involved replacing every single significant volunteer with "community leaders" (business men). Fortunately, all the "community leaders" quit in a couple of years (or less) or were just ignored. In my district, the Program Commitee became the District for all intents and purposes, and its chairman the actual District Chairman - everything was done at its meetings. I think I saw the District Chairman, a corporate president, twice in two years. In neither case, did he say a word. The long-dea
    0 points
  46. Yup... DE's start around $35K here. (That's what current SE offered me. I declined ) And compounded with the COVID crisis, all our DE's have been let go. Not furloughed, mind you, ...dismissed. We now have one FD covering our council. Volunteers are not happy.
    0 points
  47. @InquisitiveScouterI'm not sure how to reply to specific quotes, so I'm replying to your quotes removed from the body specifically. Revenue is necessary to operate the council. Every event must make some money in order to operate the council. We usually had a 20% overhead fee. Think about the costs that are unseen. Staff time, facility usage etc... If not, where would the funds come from? Fundraising does not cover it all. I was so glad to hear that local councils are now charging program fees rather than investing in more FOS. The time and effort for FOS spent on by staff is unreal compa
    0 points
  48. Exactly! This is why councils are so horrible. All of the competent people are driven out and replaced by compliant sycophants.
    0 points
  49. No way to edit my awful typing even ten seconds after posting. 0___0 No spell check.
    0 points
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