Jump to content

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 12/15/21 in all areas

  1. The plan is not going to be accepted by the survivors and for good reasons. Los Padres the council where I have a claim has 83 claims against it and values Los Padres share of liability at $22,098 per claim. This is in California and open state and they want to contribute just under 13% of their unrestricted net assets to get a release of liability as if they had gone thru a bankruptcy or paid off their share of judgements or settlements. the councils cost of litigation would exceed the $22,098 per claim.
    3 points
  2. TCC having a Town Hall Thursday night. From its website: A Town Hall will be held on Thursday, December 16 to discuss this week's developments, including the newly announced settlement agreements. Be sure you know how to fill in your ballot if voting individually. Watch our video "How to Complete & Return Your Ballot" and read more about how to be sure your vote is counted. View Most Recent Notice Zoom link: https://pszjlaw.zoom.us/j/82272826295 (no registration required) or by phone: 888-788-0099 (toll free), Webinar ID: 822 7282 6295
    2 points
  3. https://www.tccbsa.com/local-council-analysis Looks like many of the LC analyses were published.
    2 points
  4. At first appearance, it looks like the BSA, the BSA local councils, the Coalition and the future claimants committee struck a deal that IF there is a deal with the Methodist and/or Catholic church The Methodist and Catholic church must help BSA fundraise They must support scouting growth through 2036 Any fundraising dollars would reduce the amount BSA would have to pay to the settlement in terms of the $100M note At least that is the way I read it ... but it is an odd footnote. My ONLY guess is that there is concern the Methodist/Catholics pay off a settlement, flee the
    1 point
  5. Yes, it seems to be as clear as the proverbial mud.
    1 point
  6. I think you may see those within SOL and with good state counsel see much higher payouts if this plan fails. They will be able to sue COs and LCs in state court and go after those entities + their insurance companies. Right now, CO's insurance is completely protected in this plan with no payments required. That is a big deal. They would be brought in if this plan fails ... which is a major concern of COs. LCs ... I really think this is a case by case basis. Some LCs are contributing very small dollar amounts in terms of % of their assets. Even 1 lawsuit that hits them would resu
    1 point
  7. 1 point
  8. It might not be a clear absolute power but there are factors that can bring about closure and sale regardless. A church that is already struggling would have a hard time affording insurance outside of the group rates obtained by the conference for example. It is not 100% clear who owns church properties and it can get very tricky, especially in towns where tax assessors are questioning nonprofit status of things like parsonages if they are rented out for income. If UMC is offering to put money in, there must be some strategic plans to unload white elephant properties.
    1 point
  9. Various updates today. I didn't attend hearing as was working. - AIG said there is no way to hold current schedule, min delay of 4 weeks required. Discovery not nearly complete. - TCC is indicating that voting may need to restart due to substancial changes via settlement mid vote. - DOJ is stating that vote is almost certainly required and will need to be clearly told what % of the settlement is now based on the growth of scouting. (Note that a lot of new settlements are based on scouting growth). - TCC is indicating they will be seeking discovery into mediation, specif
    1 point
  10. There is no amount of maney that will "fix" the real pain, and certainly, as stated before, fixing societal issues from decades ago at the expense of current youth is just as wrong. But, as I have noted more than once, I am looking for balance, and not destroying the program for today's youth to pay lawyers and somehow actually help survivors with real conseling and so on as possible, not just throw money and say it is good. Because, it will not be good for those that were actually affected, and to expect more money to do that is foolish. Just me view, and perhaps my view of fair, and fair
    1 point
  11. Though I want to avoid the baiting ... I do fully agree with you. I daily think scouts has lost it's path. At the tail end of twenty years ago where my wife told me to bring my first son to a cub joining event, I really question whether I'd do it the same again. I kept my son in it for the activities, the outings and the friendships. We tolerated much of the rest as part of paying the price to be in scouts. BUT, the price was a too much too many times. I wanted my sons to camp, canoe, ski and get outside. I did not bring my sons to be preached at repeatedly.
    1 point
  12. Giving back to the community is the reason that I have always seen. "Marketing" or promoting depends. I have never seen CO's use it as a tool to get more CO members or more CO revenue. Heck, they'd be even more involved if they wanted to do that. I have SLIGHTLY seen it as "pride"; which in today's era could also be called hubris.
    1 point
  13. As a youth and adult 50 this past June. That explains the difference of opinion and prospective. Thanks for the challenging and insightful dialog. I have a little boy who is gender non binary; racially confused; and totally sociability inept whose name is Jake. He is demanding immediate attention as he cartwheels and jumps around the living room. He's fancies himself as being pretty and really is incorrigible. But we love him and I guess we'll keep him, but all German short hair pointers act that way.. Scout on my friend!
    1 point
  14. Corporate BSA does an absolutely horrendous job at training middle managers. When i attended an advance professional training earlier this year, the staff told us that the majority of DE's leave after 6 months because of a poor manager (staff leader as we call them). It's not hard to see why. We promote based on performance (and the only measurable indicator the higher-ups tend to care about is membership growth). So obviously, you have a lot of dudes from LDS and Scoutreach districts who don't have to lift a finger and "excel" because of easy membership. They get promoted and are trash staff
    1 point
  15. Our best DE, before our SE eliminated districts, was a Queen's Scout from the UK. He managed to start several Muslim units in the "inner city." Best metrics in the council. Very popular with volunteers. Fired. Why? We are not supposed to know. But we do. Insufficiently subservient to the ever-changing cast of middle managers. Cheers!
    1 point
  16. I see a lot here that is what causes me grief and frustration. Anyone notice I get frustrated? I was a Cub Scout in the early 80's and crossed over to a Troop in '85 or '86. I lasted about a year in Boy Scouts for various reasons. 2 1/2 years ago my son came out of school saying he wanted to join Cub Scouts because he could shoot BB Guns and camp, and stuff. School talks did their job. We went to join scout night and I had absolutely no interest in being a leader when the DE called for that. It was a few weeks in when I finally decided I better step up. I did my
    1 point
  17. @Eagle94-A1 maybe this points to my own blind spot. I look at my unit or other units and I see issues with volunteers, because I already have the experience aka "unofficial training" to supplement the BSA official training (required or otherwise.) Perhaps more of the unit issues are on the BSA or a Council leadership than I initially realized. It makes me worry a bit about my impending departure from the my own Troop. As @Eagledad points out, once experience leaves a unit, the BSA resources are not sufficient to replace that lost experience. That makes me worry about my own departure from
    1 point
  18. I think this is getting closer to the crux of the problem. There is training and there is coaching mentoring and encouragement. The troops use both. In fact, it's heavily weighted towards the latter. The councils barely use training. For other than safety related training, the model is one and done. So, how to run a scout troop? It's based on the lowest common denominator and one and done. Outdoor skills? One and done. Everyone here says one needs to seek further on one's own to improve. This doesn't match the problem of having fewer parents with outdoor skills. They don't know what they don't
    1 point
  19. I don't think there is any back and forth here, your post is very logical. I think we must consider the level where you want success is dependent on the level where the vision given. When I look at the most successful districts, a visionary leader first sets the direction for success for all the units. Of course a unit can be successful in a rudderless district with a visionary leader of its own, but the success of those units tend to come and go as they change leaders. My observation is that to have a quality program, there must be a quality vision. A united quality vision. Folks o
    1 point
  20. District- and council-level bureaucrats are entirely dependent on units, unit Scouters, unit parents, and unit Scouts. Units do the recruiting. Scouts join units. Unit programs make retention possible. Unit Scouters and parents provide FOS money. Unit Scouters take training. Unit Scouters and parents recharter existing units, keeping them alive, and form new units. Units go camping and provide advancement and carry out service projects. In short, nearly every measure of performance for districts and councils and the district and council volunteers and professionals comes from units. T
    1 point
  21. National financial problems - You are correct, these are due to the sexual abuse cases of the 70's, 80's, etc. The SBR was a bet that hasn't worked out too well - so yes, throw that in there too. Though volunteers did the abusing, that's not really the issue. That "the BSA" allowed it to happen for so long and go undealt with is the issue. These problems are not created by volunteers you are correct. Yes. National is here to build functioning councils. Councils are here to build functioning districts. Districts are here to support and enable strong unit programs. Part of en
    1 point
  22. Yes, which is why scouting as we know it can't survive. I have been saying for 25 years now that the number one cause of volunteer drop outs is national adding complexity to the program. I know that is not what you mean, but if the average adult can't look at the program and understand the expectation of them, then they will back away. The difference between successful new units and struggling new unit is usually the past experience of the adults. Before 1990, 75 percent of troop leaders were were scouts as a youth. There are several reasons for why, but the majority of new volunteers
    1 point
  23. Sorry, but National cannot blame volunteers for this and the current financial mess the organization is in, they can blame certain volunteers with a predilection and drive to molest the youth entrusted to them and they can blame their predecessors for not being more proactive in eliminating those individuals from the roles of volunteers. They can blame those who were spending the money at the National level for properties like SBR. They can take a long hard look in the salaries at the top level of national and the council execs (who should NOT be earning more that schools superintendents in
    1 point
  24. The formula for volunteer engagement has not changed. When followed, it is as powerful as ever, as we can see in strong units with lots of active volunteers. Adults spend their time and energy and resources on things that they value. What do they value? Activities that are fun for their kids, especially if the activities have some greater value. Activities that are fun for the particular adult, especially if the activities have some greater value that is understandable to whoever that adult reports to (spouse, significant other, boss, children). Activities that are not rea
    1 point
  25. Yes it's complex, and many faceted. And I admit, you need experienced volunteers to help units with program. But what happens when you have volunteers with 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60+ years of Scouter experience who raise concerns and questions, and are ignored, browbeaten, or worse, expelled from the movement? I've seen all three happen, including the expulsion of a longtime volunteer who discovered some financial irregularities. When volunteers do not feel appreciated, they leave. When volunteers are overruled on things, they leave. When volunteers feel like they have been lied to, th
    1 point
  26. Again - it's a complex issue. We are doing our volunteers a disservice by not being frank with them. To have a quality program, they have to build a quality program. You can't take a couple of BSA courses and have enough knowledge to run a unit. You have to be humble enough to recognize that you have to continue to try, to work hard, to improve the unit. The Scoutmaster of our troop has been at is for 25 years. Yet, he still looks for new ideas and new things to do. He still listens to new voices and grows the program. No amount of training is every going to install the wil
    1 point
  27. The cause of what is going on in the BSA is complex. But make no mistake, much of this is because of volunteer and program issues. My district has 15 packs. The largest 5 account for 70% of all the Cub Scouts in the District. The smallest 5 account for 10%. The largest pack is bigger than the smallest 5 put together. Each of these small packs recruits 2 or 3 kids a year. Do they do school talks - no. Do they put of flyers - no. Do they recruit at their CO - no. Do they spread the word through social media - no. All of those things our local council trains on, encourages, and pr
    1 point
  28. So you are saying these are not issues? How do expect new adults, especially ones with NO (emphasis) Boy Scout/Scouts BSA experience to provide a productive program for the youth. Training should be the answer, but it is a joke as others have pointed out. I have seen "trained" adults nearly destroy troops. Remember this is a brand new troop, only in existence since February 2019. It is one of the hundreds that have arisen this past year. The only experienced Scouter is the SM, everyone else is new to Scouts BSA. But every adult is "trained." Apparently there was was some "disc
    1 point
  29. "These are really volunteer and program issues." So let's blame the volunteers, who can only "vote with their feet" and their pocketbooks. That should raise morale - and contributions. The beatings will continue ...... Why do we need BSA if the people we collectively pay many $millions have no responsibility for results? We had ninety-nine troops in the Cleveland, Ohio, area before BSA even arrived in 1912. One hundred and five years later, with a much larger population, I doubt we have that many - actually meeting - in the same area today. We have sold off three camps and part
    1 point
  30. You think people who come here represent the norm? Think again. Adults are the critical, diminishing resource for effective program., There were a few adult-shortage such issues in the late 1960s, but the membership bloodbath of the "Improved Scouting Program" brought the shortage of adults to the fore. BSA has done nothing to correct this problem. Indeed, as a District Chairman, I got a letter of reprimand for directly recruiting adults, actually only Eagle Scouts, as volunteers. That was, and apparently still is, contrary to policy. Something about safety. I was also told not
    1 point
  31. It's easy to point at these cases and blame the lack of youth experience or training as the problem. These are really volunteer leadership and program issues. A Scoutmaster should be cultivating the adults in the program so that they build up to cold weather camping. With your typical Scout in the program for 4-5 years, there should be a bunch of experienced adults who have cold weather camped before - even if they were never Scouts as a youth. When a new parent joins, the Scoutmaster ought to say - "why don't you come on this camping trip in April". Then again in September, the
    1 point
  32. "Useless" training should be replaced by useful training. The BSA position-specific syllabus since 2000 does not allow coverage of the topics in sufficient depth so it is often boring for those with Scouting experience and shallow for those with no Scouting experience. Excellent staff can ameliorate the time deficiency only slightly with "home-work" materials and high energy. Wood Badge does not "explain," or "demonstrate" the Patrol Method. Many participants see it as modeling the adult-run troop method. After all, the "adults" (staff) run almost everything and almost all training
    1 point
  33. Respectfully disagree regarding volunteers failing. IT IS BECAUSE THE PROFESSIONALS ARE FAILING. (everything is emphasis, not shouting). Yes, volunteers run the units and some units have issues. But who is responsible for developing the training materials to create the program? The Professionals. And when you have professionals with little to no experience in the movement, either as a youth or volunteeer, but instead has a rich academic career and are pushing their theories into training, there will be problems. None of the current training syllabi compares to the previous versions. And
    1 point
  34. Moxieman - The BSA supply division produces an official red patch vest, which on its website is described as "the perfect compliment to any official scouting uniform." For me, this is strong evidence that it is an official uniform part, and can be worn as a component of the rest of the Scouting uniform in appropriate occasions.
    1 point
  35. Well with that analogy I would say that it took a village to abuse me. The village consisted of BSA National, the LC, a CO, a Troop and an abuser hence as a village they are responsible and should pay.
    0 points
×
×
  • Create New...