Cburkhardt

I read the Bankruptcy documents just posted, and there is a script that has been agreed-to. It is a pretty simple narrator announcement format that includes just the basics and not emotional content.

By posting my rather "cheeky" sacred cow suggestion, I of course do not question the benefits of a week of residential summer camp provides to a Scout and the value of tradition upheld by these places. However, over the next two years we will see most of the marginal operations closed and sold to finance the bankruptcy workout and to fund council contributions to the Victims Trust Fund in order to secure council-specific discharges from future YPT liability. These will be tough times for many, but it seems pretty unavoidable. Perhaps in some territories there can be some cooperation to help

As to COs, I agree that the relationship should be up for evaluation. Things start out nicely when the unit is new, but the relationship becomes distanced as the parties who agreed to certain operating procedures at the start are replaced by successors. I wonder about the accuracy of the dire claims I've read on some GSUSA blogs about unit leaders being dismissed for non-compliance with some pretty petty-sounding rules -- but we should be careful how the supervisory authority is structured to protect against arbitrary decisions by some of the personalities regularly discussed on this site.

The ultimate sacred cow is … drumroll please … a residential summer camp that has been operated by a council for at least 50 years (because multiple generations in families might have attended). Special "sacredness" attaches to one that is run-down and under-utilized, because its continued existence requires ongoing and vocal "worship".

The reality is that if we drop the CO concept I would no longer have the church review and approve our budget and annual calendar, which I do as a matter of enhancing the relationship. These kind of things would become a part of the JTE, which might become a more compliance-oriented system. I know our Troop could make a change like that pretty easily -- which is why I don't see it as a sacred cow. We would just try to do other things to keep a positive relationship with the church leaders. After all, they give us the meeting space, storage room for our equipment, bulletin boards in their f

I agree. That is the typical situation. I readily admit that we have a great CO situation because we are new (a girl Troop) and carefully sought-out a great CO. It's almost ridiculous how great they are -- the head church volunteer leader is the Troop Chair, the COR is the past head church leader and the pastor is our chaplain and has visited us on campouts (stayed a couple of nights at summer camp). The whole church loves the our Scouts and even held a church wide fund-raising reception for us. The question is whether you would prefer the situation you have that allows unit independ

Eliminating the CO relationship would have the BSA moving toward the system used by the GSUSA, where every unit leader would be directly under the authority of the BSA. The GSUSA blogs are packed with bitter complaints about how volunteers, who are required to sign some kind of contract-style document, are subjected to being dismissed from that organization by the local GSUSA executives and senior volunteers for "noncompliance". I don't know much about GSUSA and am certain I have misstated the details -- but the essence is correct. Scoutmasters and everyone else would be subject to removal

This posting will include known upcoming changes to the national structure (area, region and national levels). Some will be announced over the next 24 hours. For this posting, please focus on sharing and commenting on actual announcements and facts. National Executive Board. The membership of this large entity will be re-elected today as-is, with no new members. This is because bankruptcy is not the right time to bring in new people. Deal with the difficulty, get through bankruptcy and then make changes. Further, some of the best people will not want to join until after the crisi

Yes, it is normal. I've attended these many times. The real action takes place at the General Session, which this year provided much for us to discuss. For instance, the General Session was the event where all of the membership policy changes during recent years have been announced. The region luncheons/business meetings are just like the council counterparts -- brief formal "reports" and recognition. The only change this year is that the Silver Buffalos were presented as well. Normally there is a closing dinner on Friday when those are presented. The last opportunity for something

I am an optimist and view things quite directly and simply. There are very lengthy and detailed discussions about the addition of female members and the concept of "Family Scouting" that anyone on this site can go back and read. I carefully followed the debate and read the surveys that were widely distributed back then and was convinced that admitting siblings who were girls into separate Troops was the right way to go. I'm not going to go back and re-discuss that content, other than to say it was very convincing and made common sense. The Family Scouting policy did not change one word

Intellectual property in a reorganization bankruptcy is "essential" property. It is only at risk for sale in a liquidation. Nobody is going to be able to buy our trademarks.

This business of parents being encouraged to hang around and interfere during Troop meetings and on weekend campouts is just not in my past or current experience. I can tell you right now this does not go on in our district. And don't get the idea that this would happen more frequently with girl Troops. It is entirely the opposite. The girls want to be independent from the parents more than the boys. Again, my 1.5 year experience with a 32-girl Troop. I can hardly believe this is what you folks are personally experiencing, so you must be sharing information from others. Interferenc

Family Camping. Our traditional programs will continue to be our traditional programs. Mom, Dad, little Ken and the dog will not attend Scouts BSA and Venturing campouts. However, the camps that we end up retaining through bankruptcy will fully welcome family camping in the designated family camping areas. And yes, we'll get family camping fees when these wonderful Scouting-supporters use our best facilities (because we will only keep the very best after the downsizing). And yes, we'll finally get better utilization of our facilities as a result. Some of our best camps, like Owasippe, ha

I just got off the Central Region business meeting (via Zoom). There is nothing new to share. The Region elected another slate of Regional and Area officers, but the Region President (volunteer) stated that this would be adjusted when a new structure is announced. Most of the time was taken by awarding the Silver Antelopes and Silver Buffalos for our Region, but there were plenty of references to the information shared yesterday during the general session. I encourage everyone to watch the National Council business meeting at 4-5 (eastern) on Friday.

I will want my council to contribute to the Victim’s fund and benefit from a discharge from liability. Giving up some assets will give us a fresh start without fear of pre-petition claims haunting us in the future. The folks from Ohio would be forced overnight into a council bankruptcy if at some point In the future the Ohio legislature were to repeal the statute of limitations.

Eagledad: On more than one occasion you have mischaracterized our 32-member girl Troop as overly-oriented toward generating Eagles, presumably at the expense of not having an evenly-balanced program. We certainly have our go-getters like we had in the Troop of my youth, but their presence is normal and expected. Most members are enjoying the program and progressing at their chosen pace. You have no basis upon which to make those slams. As for the Venturing program, because it will now terminate at age 18 the differences between it and Scouts BSA are not as pronounced. The a

No press coverage today. Apparently the media was either not aware of or not able to access the online meeting yesterday, because there seems to be no mention in the media today of yesterday's revelations. Most articles are simply focused on generally covering the recent ramping-up of lawsuit filings against councils and the expectation that councils will be required to contribute to the Victims Trust Fund.

Yes we do. The re-branding as we come out of bankruptcy will either get the job done or we will just slowly fade into a small highly-specialized group.

Fred 8033: I agree with all you have stated. Plaintiff lawyers figured out that there would be support at the state level to eliminate the statutes of limitations for youth abuse. The big urban states passed those laws at their urging and that enabled all of this. The lawyers just pursued their economic interests, plain and simple. They will personally gain billions in the process. Events also drive outcomes and the corona virus has done that in this circumstance. It has put a choke hold on councils, National and unit operations at precisely the worst moment. The ceasing of cas

What this means is that the volunteer in charge will ignore you and not get back to you and then you can figure it our on your own! Looks like it is the same thing.

I think the commenters who have urged this approach are going to get their wish. We are going to be a smaller, simplified organization after this with a dramatically slimmed-down cost structure. Few properties to fund, not many executives and on-line materials. Probably simple, inexpensive uniforms. Volunteers running most things. My Troop won't notice much change.

5th Gen: The Bankruptcy court will appoint a Trustee, who will be charged with marshalling and selling the assets that have been agreed by the parties to be liquidated to contribute to the Victims Trust Fund. If there is no agreement, the parties will litigate what is "essential" to continue the program, and the Judge will decide what can be kept. In that case the Trustee will sell everything else and deposit the cash in the Victims Trust Fund. The BSA does not own the Corps property, so it is not an asset. If there is personal property of the BSA on that land (vehicles, canoes, basketry

Old Scout: It seems that the OA can evolve its culture to allow more adult active participation. Or, it can re-emphasize chapters, which are more manageable for 17 year-olds. There is not much fellowship at lodge activities when 2,000 people attend.

Extremely Simplified Timing of the Bankruptcy. In November the claims date passes and the total number of claims is calculated, including what the Bankruptcy court thinks they are valued at. In December the plaintiff attorneys get full access to the council financial information. In the spring the parties either (1) agree to the amount national and the councils will pay into the trust fund, or (2) the parties litigate what the "essential" national and council assets are, and the plaintiffs get everything else. I believe agreement is not possible, because the plaintiffs are out

Surely materials will get distributed after this week. There were over 2,000 people listening to the broadcast today and all council Key-3s discuss it tomorrow. There is no secret about any of this. I heard the following quote: "Everyone is going to become an adult at 18, and we are no longer going to have youth programming for 18 year-olds". So I think that means the ambiguous status of 18- 21's will be over. Did not mention this earlier, but not surprisingly, councils can grant advancement extension of 3 months in order for Scout to earn Life and Eagle.