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RememberSchiff

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Everything posted by RememberSchiff

  1. Haven't found dual signatures burdensome as checks are signed either at troop meetings or Committee meetings. The Treasurer (TC) cannot make any payments not expressly approved by TC so after a vote at Troop Committee meeting (TCM) is a good time to dual sign checks. You do need a bank that can diligently handle dual signature checks. We units are thankfully not like Council , any troop adult can raise an issue with Treasurer, see the troop budget and bank statements. The whole Troop Committee has the opportunity to look at the current bank statement at each TCM, not just the CC. Uni
  2. Our Troop Committee notified a scout that they did not "approve" his selected Eagle adviser, another adviser would need to be selected and approved Our SM quickly correctly that. You need to stand up and right the wrongs. My $0.02
  3. Fiscal Policies and Procedures for BSA Units FAQ is a good start: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/mission/pdf/Fiscal_Policies_Procedures_BSA_Units.pdf Alot of practical, common sense information "Treasurer - Good Practices" http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Treasurer_-_Good_Practices IMO, the critical measures: 1. As with all leader positions, GET THE RIGHT PERSON - SOMEONE WHO WILL FOLLOW THE ABOVE COMMON SENSE (and IRS) POLICIES. No corporate control freaks please..And if a prima donna will not follow the policies, replace that person with the RIGHT Person. 2. Dual sig
  4. Yes that is a great scouting site as is Kudu's (where is he?) website. http://inquiry.net/
  5. Update: No information on requirements. Estimated release is now first quarter 2015,
  6. Our unit started brainstorming about summer camp last night. The suggestion was made to try the Summit summer camp, aka National Scout Camp even though we knew there would added travel time and expenses. Went to the webpage and found the following: "25% adult leader discount for first two leaders ($299) and for additional adult leaders for every 10 additional Scouts". Yikes, deal killed even before we got to the med forms and liability paperwork. For the council camps on our list, those two adult leaders attend free and if the camps would even think of charging adult leaders - Prov
  7. Okay, so responders say 0 change in membership, no one has mentioned an increase. If this merger goes through, it will be interesting to see where the council office will be as for many, the council camps are closer than the Mohegan Council office. I believe Pine Tree Council (Maine) moved their council hq to Camp Hinds and Knox Trail (Mass) is moving to Camp Resolute. I hope that trend continues. As for brick and mortar scout stores, I think they are heading for extinction.
  8. Is the adult leader's name in some way different on the charter doc than his YP, e.g., Bob on one, Robert on the other?
  9. My concern is in improving boy scout membership, that is where I believe we have the greatest impact on youth character and skills development. Around here we have seen up spikes in young Cub Scout membership but that declines in Webelos through cross-over. Burn-out, sports, the usual suspects. So yes 90% of our Boy Scouts come from Cub Scouts whether we get 1 new scout or 12 each year, but more Cub Scouts has not translated into more Boy Scouts at least not around here. So my question does anyone know of a councils merger that increased the number of boy scouts in that area? This is a go
  10. Mohegan and Nashua Vallley Council are in talks to merge. After reading the QA released, A Case to Better Serve the Youth of Central Massachusetts. http://www.mohegancouncilbsa.org/council-merger-qa/ and taking aspirin, I wondered if any Council mergers increased the number of Boy Scouts in the affected area in a year, 3 years, 5 years? Don't want to hear about Cub Scouts or Scout Reach numbers. Just wondering.
  11. Memory disabilities are not uncommon. Ask the scout to repeat after you (short term memory) , the Pledge of Allegiance, Oath, and Law. In severe cases, you may have to speak one word at a time. After he repeats, have him explain the meaning, etc, We have had scouts who could not fully remember these oaths at their BOR but they could remember their meaning. Encourage and build confidence. From what you wrote, I see no need to file for alternative Tenderfoot requirements. Whether the scout is interested in Eagle is irrelevant.
  12. My unit has encountered this. The older scout patrol stopped for pizza and donuts enroute and brought it to camp. They thought themselves rather clever. By Sat lunch, their mooching off the younger prepared scouts was ! So here's what we do now at departure gathering. SPL: Are all patrols ready for campout? NSP PL: Flaming Arrow patrol is ready to light the way. Leper Colony PL: ...Well, er you see our grubmaster kind of forgot... SP: Is Leper Colony Patrol ready or not? Leper Colony PL: No, we forgot food. SM: SPL is troop ready? SPL: Troop is NOT ready, one patrol,
  13. From website http://stemscouts.org "Become a STEM Scout today and let your curiosity take flight. We’ll connect you with a nearby Lab unit for your grade level, and you’ll be on your way to meeting new people, learning new skills and inventing and discovering new things. The cost of $150 for the year provides the tee shirt, lab coat, safety glasses, backpack and some supplies." Wow, no hassle. Reasonable yearly cost stated upfront, no fundraising. Open to all kids (well in pilot program area), simple and focused. Now don't ruin it by making it expensive ("Let's have a
  14. Red Hot Car Hop http://www.wtok.com/home/headlines/Red-Hot-Car-Hop-Raises-Money-for-Boy-Scouts-277350401.html Meridian's A&W-Long John Silvers took a step back in time today for a special occasion. The restaurant hosted a Red Hot Car Hop car show this morning to raise money for the Choctaw Council of Boy Scouts. Cars from all decades filled the parking lot. The boy scouts were out selling popcorn and racing pinewood derby cars. All the money raised will benefit the boy scouts through United Way. And those who organized the event say giving back in this community is always a two
  15. Good overview article: http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20140924/GZ01/140929602
  16. So if your argument holds that the large majority are unfairly supporting limited use by a minority, then would you use the same argument towards selling the Summit, Philmont, and other high adventure bases? Just curious.
  17. I am TIRED of hearing about stolen BOY SCOUT trailers. Go expensive with LOJACK http://www.lojack.com/Construction-a...s-and-Towables Go thrifty with an old smartphone and an app (you track the smartphone which was hidden inside your stolen trailer). https://preyproject.com/ Let's stop being victims; catch and prosecute the SOB's. Place a decal on side like WW2 pilots. My $0.02
  18. Qwazse, Yeah, saw some of that when I was briefly a Crew Advisor, as school sports and clubs started charging activity fees.
  19. Update: Sept 9,2014 http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/la...-ruled-suicide http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/09/boy-scouts-death-ruled-suicide/ "The 12-year-old Las Vegas Boy Scout who died from a gunshot wound during a late June camping trip to San Diego committed suicide, medical examiner documents show. William Grey Shook was taking medication for depression at the time of his death, the San Diego medical examiner report said. Officers were called to 1750 Fiesta Island Road just after 7:30 a.m. on June 30, one day after the Las Vegas troop arrived in San Diego.
  20. With no mortgage (land donated) or taxes, I'm thinking one month's rent would cover insurance. I could see maintenance being a issue - a new roof, septic system?
  21. Maybe if one had the money or hand-me-downs, but money was tight, real tight. My father told me that in the 30's. he and his buddies joined various Harrisburg boy scout troops for just a month at a time, as after 30 days you needed a uniform. Now my father and his buddies were from union families mostly local mills. None owned a home. My father said he could put all his clothes in one shopping bag with room for his shoes. Soon they gave up on Scouting and went to the Y for a variety of youth programs which were cheaper than scouts. For lower income, urban youth the Y not Scouting was the
  22. a half hour spent in the Registry of Deeds Not around here, in a half hour you might get lucky and see someone able and inclined to help you. It would be more likely to be told to come back next Tuesday. Newer (last 20-30 years) deeds were computerized and easy to retrieve, older than that, they are archived and the fun begins. Meanwhile, people express different recollections - some first hand but faded, some third hand and jaded. And when the deed is retrieved, parts can be overruled by a court. Too often I have read of towns and contractors clearing land and building without havi
  23. I can see it now - Nobscot Forest Estates. Our trustworthy builder is loyal and helpful to new homeowners desiring to custom build in a friendly neighborhood. With our courteous service, we build the kind of home... So say you had land to donate and wanted it used for outdoor scout activities and not sold later what should you do? Donation stipulations, if any, seem to be lost or ignored over time.
  24. http://www.wcvb.com/news/man-says-bo...874208#!bPMQ3Q Knox Trail Council (MA) is evicting tenants from four houses which adjoin Nobscot Scout Reservation. One tenant had resided there for more than 50 years. This area is beautiful yet minutes to Framingham (population 68,000) and everything - very high real estate value. Since Knox Trail Council is moving their downton Framingham office to Camp Resolute, I fear a sale of these properties and maybe even Nobscot Reservation to a developer which would be just terrible. Matt Budz, the Council's scout executive, referred questions on
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