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Last time the IRS called BSA on carrying over too much cash - they offered a nice early retirement package to paid staff. No attempt to expand national camps - which have far more people trying for spots than are available. NO aid to local councils. The money flows UP in BSA - to National. The individual fees, profits from all Scouting merchandise and Council fees pay for National. What does National really do for you? Think about it. This from someone AT National who's a bit cynical about things. They noted that there's a culture within BSA that focuses on the ILLUSION of performance (n

Last time the IRS called BSA on carrying over too much cash - they offered a nice early retirement package to paid staff. No attempt to expand national camps - which have far more people trying for spots than are available. NO aid to local councils. The money flows UP in BSA - to National. The individual fees, profits from all Scouting merchandise and Council fees pay for National. What does National really do for you? Think about it. This from someone AT National who's a bit cynical about things. They noted that there's a culture within BSA that focuses on the ILLUSION of performance (n

BSA continually claims it is a "Representative Democracy" - yet the truth is far different whenever its volunteers actually manage to wrest control from the professionals and their hand-picked boards. CAC has voted DOWN the same old board numerous times. Courts supported the volunteers when the Executive Board refused to run alternate candidates approved by the volunteer membership. Yet instead of following clear corporate bylaws and court orders, BSA National intervened and put up the same old candidates - with the threat of dissolving the Council if the membership did not approve.

Westchester-Putnam Council represents the suburbs just north of NYC. This is an affluent area and has a rich Scouting history. It USED to have a rich selection of facilities available to Scouts as well. No more. A succession of Scout Execs has pushed to sell off property - with each sale being the "last", the "solution" to Council funding problems. Now why such an affluent area that is supposedly running such a "successful" Scouting program HAS funding problems is a question nobody seems ever to ask. From three summer camps we are now down to one - four hours distant - TOO far fo

One of the DE's formerly under this joker noted that BSA policy usually limits a professional to two terms as a SE with a career path moving UP after that. This guy has already had his two terms. Once again, not enough desks in the Supply division? This same DE has followed his former SE's career and noted (as have I) that SCOUTING numbers have DECLINED substantially here despite unending pressure to "add members" with every trick in the book. The pattern here is EXACTLY what it was in his former Council. An uptick in counts that turns out to be questionable (all LFL additions) while S

Well, this and too many other cases make clear what BSA is all about now. And it's not about boys, not about Scouting, and certainly not about "ehical and moral decisions." The paid "professionals" in BSA who are supposed to SERVE and SUPPORT the efforts of volunteers running Scouting programs are only in it for the $$$$$. BSA is one big corporate sham. They lie about their numbers to keep the $$$$ coming in and will do whatever they have to do to maintain control. God forbid the volunteers actually manage to make their voice heard....... and HORRORS if the volunteers actually mana

Here in Westcheater-Putnam we're seeing a redux of what happened in Flint River......postings made here a half dozen years ago could have been made by our Council members...... when the same complaints are aired by people independently in completely different areas, and are about the same person doing the same things..... the problem is that SE. Another case - Auburn NY Richard Knaul, a 17 year Scoutmaster removed over the objections of his Troop. He - and 20 odd others questioned why a VERY small Council (seemingly kept as a sinecure for the SE, they didn't even HAVE a DE) was actin

Had a long and disturbing exchange with a former leader here..... first hand. He was finally told why he had his membership revoked.... turns out the reasons were complete fabrications but it doesn't matter. Saw the court filings.... what a joke. One of those things that cause people to make lawyer jokes...... If BSA throws you out, don't fight it. You can't win. It's all a joke. A rigged system, a lost cause. BSA can do whatever they want. SE's have been revoking the membership of various volunteers unjustly - under the procedures drawn up to "protect youth". This has hap

A few points - early on in the US there WERE competing "Scouting" organizations. BSA actively sought and won political support - gaining a Congressional charter - which they then used to end the "Scouting" claims of competing groups. In fact BSA sought to prevent Girl Scouts of America from using "Scout" when they first started up. As far as costs and such - volunteers do most of the real work in Scouting. They run local units, training for new members, run events, staff camps (at least the majority) and more. In our Council - "Camping and Activities" revenue (things that you t

So..... the SE making $242,000 a year gets to retire with benefits after being caught twice grossly faking enrollment numbers... and keep in mind this was the guy blaming the ACLU for missing units and trying to explai away all the "John Does" living at Council offices as being listed this way for "their security" - he couldn't even lie well..... he's being replaced with someone who left a Council in hot water with the IRS..... BOTH threw out people who tried to get them to "do the right thing"........ I want to know if ANY professional EVER does anything bad enough to get fired....

From the frying pan into the fire........ If anyone in Greater Alabama expects things to get better with their new SE, they should check in with NE Georgia...... their new SE had a long stretch there before his current Regional spot..... Seems that there was a nice IRS investigation, NEGA seems not to have filed 990's for a few years of his former tenure...... Local members there also note that the same SE threw out an Eagle Scout and his mother when they complained about a DE buying beer for underage Camp Counselors... the SE denied that this occurred - the DE was a good Bapti

Funny how National steps in when the volunteers finally - after COURT action - manage to vote out their current leadership. The VOLUNTEERS were following bylaws, while Council leadership did not. But now, even after winning in court and getting court to order new elections with a slate of candidates that the VOLUNTEERS chose through a nominating committee according to bylaws, the VOLUNTEERS once again lose ANY voice in things. Somehow NATIONAL is now choosing who runs things. How is this possible? THE VOLUNTEERS once again have no voice in what will be happening. How is this?

"These were the two gems of wisdom we were told in Texas. We learned a bit about programs and some other things as well but the focus was mainly on money and manipulation. It looks like your own DE was successful in brainwashing you into thinking his way as well. I refused to use these techniques with my volunteers, yet I always achieved my goals while others did not. My bond of trust with my volunteers was so solid it amazed the three SE's I worked for, but four years of Nationals hypocrisy was enough for me. So yes Commando I do blame the policies of National and the quality of their scoutin

BSA settled. Given the way court testimony was going - against them - this was probably a smart move. Of course there's a confidentiality agreement. No way to know how much got paid out.

"It would be a good thing if the COR's in the forums all showed up this year at their annual meetings and asked for outside audits of membership roles, and annual reports that comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles which show clearly where donation and fundraising dollars were spent. And a fix of the local bylaws to prevent things like da Chicago mess. " BSA is a "representative" democracy BECAUSE COR's DON'T pay attention to what's going on in Scouting. Most don't really want to be involved and simply sign the paperwork once a year. Only the LDS and a few conservative rel

"It would be a good thing if the COR's in the forums all showed up this year at their annual meetings and asked for outside audits of membership roles, and annual reports that comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles which show clearly where donation and fundraising dollars were spent. And a fix of the local bylaws to prevent things like da Chicago mess. " BSA is a "representative" democracy BECAUSE COR's DON'T pay attention to what's going on in Scouting. Most don't really want to be involved and simply sign the paperwork once a year. Only the LDS and a few conservative rel

I'd bet that much of the Venturing loss is pure accounting "corrections." Here a leader trying to start a Crew found that most of the "existing" ones had disappeared years ago. They were ghost units - with less than a half-dozen boys. Councils keep Crews active to show some membership there when none really exists. If "Scouting" was well run and successful you'd expect Venturing to be a runaway success. Not so. Not even close. Why? Perhaps because even BSA doesn't know what Venturing is supposed to be. It's supposed to be a cooler, coed, more adventurous Scouting - all things that see

"...a chance to boss volunteers around - with little consequence." Oh brother! " Every single complaint registered about our SE here was registered in his previous Council. There is a series of postings in the archives here detailing the growing "dissatisfaction" in Flint River with this person. A former DE there related - in detail - the issues with this professional. Paid staff turn over at a ridiculous rate under this person. He's simply a horrid boss. DE's complain about being pressured to lie about numbers. They either do as told to try and move on or quit completel

"But your last post is just an unfocused rant. How did NE region come in to an Idaho matter? " Gotta love the attitude..... my "rant" was in response to: "I'd think that the proper response of anyone who values the Oath and Law would be to take action, and as a volunteer commit yourself and your CO to aggressive oversight of the council exec. boards and SE's. " which WAS clearly quoted. My point was that it's easy to say "take action" but there are too many times when you're fighting a near impossible battle..... BSA sure doesn't seem to WANT to clean things up. Their first p

Zuckerman exposed something that deserved to see some light - a scnadal that BSA went to great lengths to bury. Without his coverage, a child abuser would still be free - without anyone paying attention and the parentss of a few dozen abused boys would still be waiting to be hear from BSA that their kids got molested. C'mon......this case shows that BSA at EVERY level up to and including NATIONAL failed to follow their own clear rules....... and btw, it's only a coincidence that the abuser's mother is a "Hall of Fame" member of her council and the LDS "vouched" for the abuser (tu

"ZUCKERMAN PRESENTED LIVINGSTON AWARD Jun 6, 2006 -KPVI A former reporter with the Idaho Falls Post Register was given an honor for his investigative reporting. Peter Zuckerman was presented the ten-thousand dollar Livingston Award in New York today. The award goes to the three best young American writers for reporting on important issues. A year and a half ago, the paper fought to unseal court records that were sealed by attorneys for the Boy Scouts, to expose problems in how the Grand Teton Council handled cases of scout camp leaders abusing scouts. At age 26, Zuc

The "official" charges against Willis are old and predate his appointment to the local Board. Apparently it didn't matter enough to keep his Council from making him the head of training - which is how he stumbled across the enrollment problems. And Willis tried REPEATEDLY to get BSA to deal with this problem - they refused to do so and threatened him instead. He finally went to local police who were scared to death of this "hot potato." But then with local law emforcement officials on the local Council Board (who have squashed publicity in the past on such issues), in this case they recuse

Ronnie Holmes - the SE in Greater Alabama - was allowed to RETIRE and collect his pension and benefits. He was making over $240,00 a year in an area with a median income under $40,000. This was the SECOND time he'd been involved in an enrolment scandal int he last five years. He was part of the Circle Ten scandal in Dallas in 2000. Mr. Holmes attempted to blame the ACLU for missing units and tried to explain away all the "John Does" with addresses at Council offices (BSA National even tried to support this lie). Lie, break the law and get a nice retirement package. His pension will

Gotta love the way BSA muddles Scouting membership numbers. About the whole "trustworthy" thing? Without Learning for Life - which even BSA goes to great lengths to say is NOT Scouting (can't get govt grants and charitable funds otherwise, but it has little resemblence to Scouting anyway) - BSA can claim only 2.9 million in SCOUTING programs - Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturing. There are less than 1 million in Boy Scouts. that's pretty sad. When an organization continues to lose members at the rate BSA is losing them, you think they'd throw the management team out. And this is

"Q: How is membership? A: We've got about 4.6 million kids in Scouting. Basically the same number of kids as it has been for the past 10 or 15 years. We ought to be serving 10 million kids ... but we're working on that. " It'd be nice if the head of BSA was a bit more honest here. Even BSA goes to great lengths to say "Learning for Life" is NOT "Scouting" - so they can claim a separate legal status for that organization. The program is clearly not Scouting but it is convenient for BSA to claim those numbers to hide the dramatic declines in Scouting membership. A professional n