frankpalazzi

dc, the professional bus companies are under constant scrutiny by their respective state DMVs. They cannot and do not get away with poor maintainance practices. Here in MA, for example, every school bus must undergo three additional inspections annually besides the required annual inspection that all vehicles undergo. They display TWO windshield stickers. Inspectors in RMV logo ("Registry" of Motor Vehicles in MA) adorned overalls check each bus top to bottom, front to back. School and transit bus companies are also subject to random audits, and they do get audited! Inspectors check repair and maint. records, as well as pre-trip inspection reports that drivers must fill out daily, listing any defects or problems. If the Pre-Trip and repair files don't jive, the bus can be put "Out Of Service" pending further investigation. Passenger safety is serious business in our state, as well as in others, I'm sure. Google "Fung-Wah Bus" and "Lynette's Limousine" and see!

Same as Any Loaded Vehicle any Trip...Especially ones without Roadside assistance..Car with No Extra seating do not help if ones breaks down any ways Sounds like we can't convince you that this isn't a good idea. You will need a MINIMUM of $1 million liability, and your roadside assistance is only as good as what the tow truck can fix on the spot. It's not easy to get a vehicle that can tow a bus. Your group will be standing at the side of the road for hours--they can't be in the bus while it's being towed. ONE tire will cost you around $300--flat tire is automatic tow---that runs into the hundreds.---don't try to save money by putting recaps on the front, it is against Federal and all State law. (because it's DANGEROUS!) You won't be able to get parts at Pep Boys or Autozone, and " Be Prepared" to pay 2-3X what you thought the parts would cost when you do locate them. Again, I work in the School Bus industry, so I know these facts all too well. Plus, over the last 42 years, our Troop has owned 2 School Buses--wasn't so bad when the SM was a mechanic, but after that, you're stuck. Try getting RID of a bus when you decide you no longer want it, or it's beyond repair---lots of fun there too! 1-877-Kars-4-Kids WON'T take it! Do you really still want to do this? It's not a question of "if" you have problems, it's a question of "WHEN" you have problems!

Same as Any Loaded Vehicle any Trip...Especially ones without Roadside assistance..Car with No Extra seating do not help if ones breaks down any ways Duplicate Post.

Please let us know what happens!

I refuse to feed the trolls. Fin.

Leader turnover is a sad fact of life in Troops and Packs, and sometimes it can happen faster than we like. I can certainly appreciate your respect for the heritage of a 25-year old unit, and your desire to keep it going! Good for you! Some would shun the idea of heritage and label traditions as "tacky," etc. I would have that parent meeting before your recruitment and present the following as an option: Keep after your DE to find another CO in or near your town. Try American Legion/VFW/Other Veterans' organizations (They LOVE Scouts!). Volunteer Fire Departments, ALL civic organizations, yes, even the Garden Club. Even if they are unable to provide a meeting space, maybe they can help arrange one at another location in exchange for a little service time from the Pack (tidying up the grounds, etc.) and perhaps an annual donation to help with the heating/lighting costs. (Never, ever "pay rent"!) My American Legion sponsored Pack has a similar arrangement with a local church hall due to space limitations in the Legion building. BUT...leave it to your DE to approach these folks--he/she is trained in pitching new potential COs! If he/she secures a new CO for you, it's just a matter of transition from that point forward. You can keep the same pack number, your funds and equipment and leadership if the new CO chooses. (And why wouldn't they? It's a lot less work for them with everything in place already!) You'll be off the hook as IH/COR, and know you've done a "job well done" leaving a heritage Pack in good shape. I think deep down, you want to save this pack, and I'm certain your DE does too! From what I understand, your recharter happens in December, so the clock is ticking, but it's entirely possible to do this! Just my $.03 (I rambled too long for just $.02) -Frank

You have taken several false inferences and liberties in your last post. You have also insulted my troop which you know absolutely nothing about. (e.g. "childish", "tacky traditions"). At this juncture I believe it is in my, and the other readers' best interest to terminate any further attempt at adult conversation/debate with you. The Scout Law has guided me in this decision.

I never said "kick out volunteers." "Pound Sand" in this neck of the woods is part of a 5-word phrase commonly used in New England which is inappropriate for this forum. Our troop members find it highly offensive when someone attempts to insult our traditions because those traditions are not theirs. I also find this kind of topic fascinatingly revealing in which troops are Adult-Led vs. Boy-Lead.

Amen, BD. Priority one: "Hello Scout, I'm happy to see you here tonite!" Worry about the other stuff later,.

Take it from one who works in the industry---it IS crazy. The insurance, maintenance, fuel, and repairs (and they are constant!) will kill your troop budget! My advice, if you're licensed to drive a "Class B" bus, you're better off renting as needed from a local school bus company! Also, buying any kind of vehicle on Ebay is NEVER a wise idea! In my troop, when the need arises, the boss donates the bus, the driver (me) works for free, and the Troop pays for the fuel used. And my daily driver(which is an '08) gets a whopping 8MPG!

Perhaps after you have gained a bit more leadership experience, and time wo rking with other adults, you will be able to understand the nuances, "dude".

duplicate deleted

You are totally missing my point, I'm afraid. I made no mention of skirting safety rules. The topic is parent pins on adult leader uniforms.

Exactly right. We have a committee member who was interested in the job and has been doing it for a number of years. We gave him the Chaplain patch. The unit chaplain does not have to be ordained clergy.

Duplicate post.

The redundancy of the blue card system guarantees it to be idiot/council proof. I'm in favor of keeping it.

I recall a "Black Flag" alert during our troop's visit to the 2010 Jambo at AP Hill. Scary sounding siren (really got your attention) followed by the annnouncement. All soda sales were immediately stopped, VA national guard troops were stopping scouts and adults (I was one!) and checking their canteens/water bottles. If it wasn't sufficiently full, they would escort you to a filling station and make sure you took care of it. Hydration during that kind of heat is serious business!!

My Parent-Leaders wear their parent pins on their uniform with pride, and no one "calls them out" on it. If someone did, they'd be told to "pound sand" loudly and proudly, and I'd back them up as COR. You can call it "improper uniforming" and point to the Insignia Guide all you want, and preach how it's a "bad example for the Scouts" but.... How many of your Scouts have a copy of and know the contents of the Insignia Guide? My guess: somewhere near or equal to zero. Our boys wear their rank pins on their lapels! It's just something they started doing---if they're all the same, we think that's OK. Is being picayune about something as small as a parent pin really "a hill worth dying for"? Just Food For Thought.

That's actually a rule from our CO--just an example though--I wasn't advocating or criticizing it. Maybe your knife rule should be a policy!

By-Laws? Oh puh-leez. These are Boy Scout Troops, not multi-level corporations. If you want RULES, put 'em in your Parent Guide, and make very FEW rules. The fewer, the better. For example, "No sheath knives are allowed on Troop activities." That's a health and safety RULE. It is inflexible, and cannot be broken. Then there are POLICIES. These are the things "the way we have always done them". Example: "Dues are due and payable on the first meeting night of every month." The difference between a RULE and a POLICY? A rule is something that is ironclad, not negotiable, cannot be broken without consequences. A policy is that which can be adapted to different situations/conditions over time. Anything not covered in your rules and policies can be easily found in the Scout Oath, Law, and various BSA literature. As for adult behavior, refer to the Scoutmaster Handbook, and the Troop Committee Guidebook. If it ain't there, you don't need it. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) Throw that By-Law business in the trash!

"Back in the day..." I find this very sad. I've had to take scouters aside and kindly ask them to stop belittling the current active youth arrowmen by making statements like this. It is, I think really shameful. Please don't ever say this sort of thing around the scouts. Krampus is 100% correct. I, too, was around "back in the day" and have observed the same thing. And I'm sure that Krampus would have the "good taste" not to mention his feelings around the scouts as well. What is it with the current generation of scouters that cannot accept honest criticism from those of us who have "been there, done that" ?

Agree X 1000! You can explain things to certain types several times, and in several different ways, and they just......don't.....get it. So as not to lose our heads over this (as is what seems to be happening) here are the facts: 1. The Pack/Troop is an extension of the Chartered Organization and is included in their financial "umbrella". The scout unit is not, and never has been a financial entity itself. 2. The treasurer does NOT get involved with tax filings of any type. Bank accounts should absolutely be of a "non interest earning" variety, and include the name of the CO on the account and checks. (We also used the CO's EIN number to open the accounts.) 3. The treasurer should provide at least annual financial reports to the CO, whether they want it or not. End of responsibility for Pack/Troop treasurer. Georgia Mom, if you're still reading, here is the description of what your job title was, as opposed to what you thought it was http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Pack_Treasurer#Treasurer

After reading these comments from so many different folks, I sure am glad we took our troop to Virginia in 2010 to visit what may very well have been the last good Jamboree!

Duplicate post. DONE!

Duplicate post. Rabbit extermination almost done.