John-in-KC

Scouters in UMC Churches,

This is not yet final, but it’s close. Read it carefully.  It may well have major impact on unit funds and equipment, among other matters. 

https://methodistscouter.org/a-new-agreement/

Video posted on Vimeo…HTTPS://Vimeo.com/558165244

On 5/29/2021 at 11:26 AM, JoeBob said:

 

If improvement is not made, the commissioner team, in partnership with their District Executive, will work with the chartering organization to identify the barriers to success, which may include the selection of new unit Key 3 leadership that are committed to addressing the metrics to ensure the Promise to Parents is delivered to families

This implies the Council has enough Commissioners to support this course of action.

One reason I ceased registering as a Scouter/commish was … wait for it … metric management.   I was not about to force my units to do lean six sigma data input. 

On 5/29/2021 at 8:19 AM, CynicalScouter said:

Scout Executives are selected by the local volunteer executive board from a list of qualified and approved candidates. Only Scout Executives, who are the local council’s CEO, must come from outside the council.

The SE of Heart of America Council, having spent a few years outside traveling, was invited back by the board. He’s doing well.

When you post a link, please clean your browser cache, log out, log in, and test your link. 
Scouters are friendly, I just had a report of a dead link with a proffered replacement. 
Scouters are helpful too, they post ready to use links.

Thanks!

John

One way to take a weekend break is to close this thread. We will be back Monday

First, welcome to Scouter. 
 

second, relax.  Scouts USA is about youth becoming independent.  Frankly, I’d rather see you as a merit badge counselor, Troop Treasurer, or ride coordinator … work in the background. 
 

as far as the COR goes, he can try to say that all he wants,  but families go to the unit with the best program.  There is absolutely nothing he can do to stop families from making choices. If your District Advancement Chair is anything like a friend of mine, he will take away access to Scout Net advancement module for the unit, and have a district guy do it!

So, enjoy the journey, and do the right thing by the youth members. 

I have to laugh at some naïveté amongst the local councils

When the tort lawyers finish with the National Council, they will rank order the local councils from richest to poorest. They’re going to come after the richest councils, and they will do their damndest to break any covenants on gifts that they can. 
 

Mark my words. 

Robert, welcome. WRT to Philmont, I believe the deed of gift from the Phillips family has covenants upon it.   Also, much of the space used in the back country is National Park/National Forest land. It won’t add much to the final Kitty. 
 

On 4/28/2021 at 2:43 PM, David CO said:

I understand.  As a long time baseball fan, I have a tendency to over-identify with my favorite team.  When they win, I win.  When they lose, I lose.  

Of course, I have no actual ownership stake in professional baseball.  I'm not a billionaire.  Being a fan is about emotions, not reality.  It's not really my team.

The same is true of BSA.  We don't actually own BSA.  We are not BSA.  We never have been.  We never will be.  It's time for all of us to stop over-identifying with BSA.

 

The problem with this argument is we are, or were, dues paying members of BSA.  At unit level, we were members of a licensed (ok, chartered) aka contracted organization. Council and National provided goods and services, we provided the last mile to the youth. 
 

IF we were in District or Council service, we were volunteers or employees of the local corporation.  Think about camp staff. 
 

if we were in Regional/National volunteer or professional service, we were part of big BSA. 

Remember that the commercial policies are both back up and service to BSA, it’s self insured for the first $1 or 2 M ( I forget which)

Welcome to Scouter. I moved your post to our worldwide forum. 

In my neck of the woods (Kansas City), severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are the major risk.  After the deaths in the Omaha Council a few years back, we built storm shelters in each campsite of our Scout Reservations.  Other than that, when we get lightning we bring the kids out of the lakefront and out of the pools. 

Cooking isn’t a 90 day MB, but it takes time. 

Finally, teach youth how to make a Smokey fire. The Forest Service still watches for fire. 

I’d recommend one of these per Patrol ... increasing over time from 1/troop. 
 

I also recommend part of trip planning include where is cell service?  I’ve included two coverage maps by a provider ... one of the Sierra Nevada near Tahoe, and one of the area near Philmont. 
 

And ... carry a solar charger. 

14 minutes ago, CynicalScouter said:

I've been at this for 10 years. My Council? 0 people that happens to.

And I see it is "Asked to not return". Not "volunteer raped a child, so volunteer she was EXPELLED."

They were "Asked to not return". How...nice.

And anyone wonders why there's 11,000-13,000 abuse claims? Because BSA "asks" people not to return for violation Youth Protection.

Again, perhaps that's why what we need are annual reports from Council saying that (no names) Clery Act type reports that 14 registered adult leaders were REMOVED OR EXPELLED for YP violations. Or heck, even NATIONAL data on that number.

I guess you’ve never seen a copy of “the letter”.  Volunteers are expelled and are forbidden to be at scouting events of any sort. 

2 minutes ago, Armymutt said:

I don't know how one can reasonably hold the national office responsible for the actions of volunteers, especially in the pre-internet days.  COs approve adult membership.  National's role would be in checking records to see if an applicant has been reported as an offender, but beyond that, I don't buy responsibility.  This is truly a case where the primary responsibility is at the lowest level.  

You got it, but you didn’t get it. 
 

Money talks. Individually suing the local councils and the chartered partners was a task in economic futility.  Suing the national council reaps a lawyers payday. Remember, the payoff will be 60 plaintiffs 40 plaintiffs attorneys if the usual formula gets used

Sometimes, it’s best to let a copy service do the scan. 
 

most copiers are digital, and most can scan/email the pdf or jpeg to you. 

Just now, ThenNow said:

I'm not sure what this is about. Apologies.

You wanted to bring a post back to this thread. 

Let me make this simple. 
 

Never, ever have 1/1 contact with a child not your own or in whom you have the deepest trust of the parents (my granddaughter is an example there)

Guard them, guard you!

@ThenNow the easiest way is to copy your text and paste it here. Otherwise, Matt or RS or I need your post number to find it, isolate it, and move it. 

Welcome!  You will find some great Scouters in the Tampa/St Pete area!