diannasav

First of all everyone is misunderstanding.

It is suggested but we haven't been doing the 2 - 3 year rotation of SM. The current SM has been in place since at least 2008. Not changing in the past is for the very same reason some of you stated in your posts. (ie, 1. availability of replacement, 2. experience, etc.) But as we grow we are gaining other adults that do have experience and are willing to step up... The COR is conservative I agree with that and I also agree with the fact that he likes status quo. We have never been given permission to post anything at the church. Several parents in the troop are unhappy with the current SM, and no there are no longer any members of the church in the troop.

to Basementdweller: our council advocates the rotation of a SM every 2 - 3 years to keep things fresh and to prevent burn out.

to Oak Tree. I'm one person amongst many that have these feelings,we are a small community and the pack is chartered at the same location but many people chose to drive out of town to attend another troop rather than deal with our present SM. I am the former TCC/Treasure/Den Leader and am also trained as SM and after 13 years in scouting I've witnessed alot of drama. The IH/COR (pastor) only attends the TCM and thinks he knows what's going on. I think we all welcome his interest but not to become a dictator when he truly isn't seeing the whole picture. You are very right it may be time for those who are not happy to move on, start another troop in this community if anything it will benefit the community by having two troops....

I couldn't agree more with the final post. The point needs to be how well is the person doing in ALL of their positions. If they are doing the job well then there are no problems. If they are not and people have talked to them and they do nothing then there is a problem. The final point for me is this: Why are we doing this? We are all volunteers (for the most part) The wonderful joke "it's only an hour a week!" We are all doing this for the boys! Right!

I think there is one thing that we all need to remember is that each of our councils and districts are probably different. I come from a small district within our council both the district and troops have problems getting adult support.

As our troop has grown we have gained many adult who support our troop but it's always the same people. Changing slightly year after year, but generally the core group is still there.

In some areas I think our district grabs the first volunteer willing to do the work because they don't have it and the paid executives are stretched so far any volunteer help is better than none. Some are in it for the glory, some truly dedicated it doesn't matter. If they passed the background check and are willing to help they won't get turned away. That's what I believe we have going on with the source of my thread in the first place.

Even the most glowing glory hounds at one time were truly dedicated people that just got carried away and lost their vision to see it.

Thanks everyone for your input!

Beavah:

Baptist

We do many service projects for the church (ie, food bank, gardening, cleaning, etc.)

I have no problems with the pastor attending meetings on the contrary we welcome him, but it almost appears as though he purposely disagrees with us and then he makes comments like "well you asked for this -- ie, church involvement". We are asked to minimize our footprints, we aren't allowed to post anything about the progress of the troop in the church. The list goes on -- we are beginning not to feel welcome at the church.

Several of us have talked to the SM, it appears to make no difference, he doesn't see it and feels "he can do it all" refer to other quotes I've made in my posts....

I'm the person that pushed the charter to take ownership of the troops property because that is the guidelines of the BSA... I did the best I could to follow the guidelines of BSA, and the current TCC does the same. But when we quote from BSA guidelines to this IH/COR and SM they say that doesn't apply to us..... Well where is that coming from? It does if you signed the charter agreement, etc.

Thanks again!

Beavah, our Troop was dormant for many years and in 2004 with the aging of our Webelos 7 families (one of which was mine) wanted to stay in our community so we approached the Charter to see if we to re-activate the former Troop. They said yes and we started with the 7 Scouts and enough of the parents to fill committee positions necessary. Over the years we have only changed SM's 3 times. The charter organization was a silent partner per say. We had no equipment but what the families owned and or donated to the troop. One of the families sold the troop our trailer which we paid off by fundraising in a couple of payments. One of the former SM and wife who was the TCC at the time kept the insurance on the trailer that was in their name because at the time the charter did not want to be involved. Well through the course of a couple more years the SM at that time was asked to step down and we had to put the trailer in someones name. Legally as the TCC at the time I knew the charter was the owner of the troop and they should have the insurance in their name for the equipment, etc. that our troop owned. So I pushed for it and it eventually happened. Now if you read my other post our current SM that has been in place since the last one was asked to step down the parents in the troop, committee, etc. are concerned about his level of dedication to the troop (it appears more towards District and OA now) but he refuses to see that it's time and the elections didn't go the way the committee thought they would because the IH/COR (same person/pastor of the church) refused to follow the bylaws that were put in place 4 months ago (we only rec'd a provisional acceptance of the bylaws from the church board) about who could and could not vote. Now the "silent partner" is becoming a quazi-dictator and really truly does not know what is going on in the troop other than what the SM tells him. BTW, neither the IH/COR or current SM have active scouts in our troop.

Beavah, that may be more than you really wanted to know, but we have problems in our troop now and we are losing families last count was 40 scouts, but we have families that won't come to our troop because of the SM. We have families that want to leave an start another troop because of the SM. NO ONE from the charter organization participates or is involved in the Troop. They say they care they donate money to the troop but NO ONE other than the pastor gets involved and the only involvement he has is at our monthly committee meetings. Otherwise all he knows is what the SM tells him.... I care about this troop, I have one Eagle from this troop and another son who is finished with all his merit badges all he has to do is his Eagle project. But in all honest because of the "politics" at hand I can't wait for it to be over. That is very sad for me to say. I've invested 13 years in the Pack and the Troop through this charter, as a Den Leader all the way through Cub to Treasurer to TCC and now Committee Member. Other members come to me for info, input, etc. because I've been around for a long time. I keep encouraging everyone to be patient we (the committee and other members) are working on changes..... I don't know how long people will be patient.

Thank you very much for your valuable input!!

I would like to thank everyone for your input. I am not a SM. I am a former TCC, Treasurer and as one of the founding members of our Troop I remain a committee member. Our current SM is holding district position, positions in OA, FOS and now I believe they said Unit Commissioner. I really appreciate all the input and I will share this thread with our current TCC and ASM's. We need to get the focus back on the boys, after all that is what we are here for, not adult egos.

I would appreciate input from forum members regarding the authority the charter organization has over the troop committee and the troop it's self on how it is ran, managed and the bylaws it sets forth for it's members.

Any input would be appreciated all I keep finding is "guidelines"..

Thank you

I would like to know what forum members feel about District Commissioners also being Scoutmasters? Can they truly be unbiased if brought into issue involving the troop they belong to? Wouldn't this be a conflict of interest?

I would appreciate hearing some experiences anyone here might have had..

Interesting points, thanks!! The info I was given from my council came from the Council President!!!

We'll keep trying, I remember bringing up something similar to your point in our discussion about how to handle this at the meeting....

I realize this is a month old post now but as I was searching I came across this. The one thing I noticed that no one mentioned that we do in our troop as a part of the bylaws. All new scouts until they make 1st class must sleep in a troop provided tent using the buddy system. They pick buddy's at the beginning of camp and that is who they stay with that campout, this continues until they reach the range of 1st Class then they have the privledge of using their own tent and sleeping by themselves if they choose, but they still have their buddy and can leave the camp without their buddy in tow.

Something else to consider.

I saw that right away, and my feelings about that is the producer was trying to create a feeling of normalcy to the scene, to create the illusion for the viewers that this family will go on (since there was not bomb at the end of the moview anyway). I was initally shocked at the way the series ended... but oh well it's over now.

As the treasurer of a troop that is producing it's FIRST Eagle Scout I would like to know if the funds raised for this Eagle Project are supposed to be filtered through the Troop checking account or is the scout supposed to handle the money and break it down in his budgetary report for his project? I contacted our council and they suggest, because it isn't clearly written in the Eagle Project Manual or online in policies and procedures, to filter it through the account. Does anyone have a concrete answer to this question and proof from national. I'm in process of searching national for the answer, but the last question I asked of national I rec'd 10 responses here to explain it before I rec'd one from national... Thanks for your help !!!

Thank you for your advice.. The Crew Committee recently broke down the single position of committe chair into two asst. committee chair positions under the committee chair to hopefully allievate commuication problems and these positions are only temporary until a permanent replacement can be found through the charter organization (as well as a secretary position). So we are seeking out the right leadership for this crew. Hopefully once filled will help us to organize ourselves better -- leadership down it will have an affect.

Please tell me if I'm crazy or do we have an overzealous advisor. My understand of what the Venturing program is that the Scouts run the Crew with the advisors assistance not direction, am I right??? This is what I have heard preached by our advisor but yet when the scouts have meetings, discussions, vote and agree on something she tells them they can do that and this is what you will do........ The agenda come to the meetings from her and are basically scripted telling her son (the president) what to ask, talk about, etc. I have numerous years experience in scouting but have yet to take the Venturing Leader Specific, but something in my gut tells me there are some serious control issues going on here. How are the scouts expected to learn how to do if they can't do.... When planning events they are told what they will or will not do not given a choice or create something on their own.... There is also some borderline disrespectful scoulding going one also, we are told we are not in the military but it often times feels and sounds very much like we are. This all seems opposite of what the Venturing Program is all about. Am I wrong??? And how would you handle this??

You've all been very helpful in the past, I'm hoping your guidance will help me with this..

Please tell me if I'm crazy or do we have an overzealous advisor. My understand of what the Venturing program is that the Scouts run the Crew with the advisors assistance not direction, am I right??? This is what I have heard preached by our advisor but yet when the scouts have meetings, discussions, vote and agree on something she tells them they can do that and this is what you will do........ The agenda come to the meetings from her and are basically scripted telling her son (the president) what to ask, talk about, etc. I have numerous years experience in scouting but have yet to take the Venturing Leader Specific, but something in my gut tells me there are some serious control issues going on here. How are the scouts expected to learn how to do if they can't do.... When planning events they are told what they will or will not do not given a choice or create something on their own.... There is also some borderline disrespectful scoulding going one also, we are told we are not in the military but it often times feels and sounds very much like we are. This all seems opposite of what the Venturing Program is all about. Am I wrong??? And how would you handle this??

You've all been very helpful in the past, I'm hoping your guidance will help me with this..

When you have a troop that is supposed to be working under the patrol method does the Scoutmaster and ASM have the right to appoint who they want for any patrol leader positions?

I'm curious how some of you would approach this issue. You have SM and ASM that feel the troop needs to be completely boy run to the point they don't work along with the boys to plan activities for a campout or sit in on their PL meetings to help organize or teach. The oldest scout in our group is 16, our troop is only in their 4th year. He cares a great deal about the scouts, but the ASM is pretty headstrong and feel that the boys should plan it all and all they have to do is show up. Most of our scouts range in age from 11-13 they were not taught how to run a meeting in Web II... I have suggested Troop Leaders Training and getting more scouts into YLT, similar scout training has worked well in training the scouts in the Crew, but it's falling on deaf ears. The troop is an extension of our pack so we have all worked together for almot 10 years and there is some burn out going on and some frustrations from the same parents always being the ones to help on fundraisers, camping, etc. Some of this is starting to change some of the new parents are starting to step up but very slowly. The difference between pack and troop is pretty big considering they had a leader who did alot and communicated alot, she did an awesome job, now they have someone who is say now you have to do it all. There are campouts when they do nothing, they ask the kids what do you want to do orienteering or have a free day.. What do you think the average 11-12 yr. old is going to say. They ended up playing in the woods around the camp all day, they accomplished nothing, they don't practice the buddy system, and they had the oppotunity to work with a merit badge orienteering counselor. I don't want to offend the SM so I don't say much because he has already said he will leave if people start complaining.... There's no one ready to take over if he leave.

I want to thank everyone for your input and I hope it keeps coming, I am getting a great deal of info from all of you. Every response has had valuable info.. This is my first entry to this forum and I'm glad I did. To answer one of your questions yes you are all answering my questions and I will forward a good majority of this info to our SM. Our troop is only in it's 4th year and Venturing is new to all of us, I have been involved the longest but not as a trained leader. I am waiting for an upcoming class to resolve that, but in our council we have to wait for Venturing Training since it is relatively new to our council as well (not quite sure why, but it is).

I think it is a great program and have tried to encourage our SM to work with the Venturing Advisor because the two programs can work together and support each other, at least that is my take on it, but he doesn't always agree. Maybe with some selective choice I will forward a good majority of this info to him with every hopes that it will help.

Again thanks for the continued responses and all your suggestions are great and appreciated.

I have a son in a troop who is 1st class, he is also in a Venturing Crew. I have read previous forum notes that have said it is okay to double dip when earning a merit badge you can use it for both troop advancement and crew advancement. Please someone validate if I understand this correctly. Our Scoutmaster feels that if they earn credit through the crew it does not count towards any troop merit badge. I do not have my Venture Leaders Specific yet so I'm not fully versed in all the venture standards. What about if a scout transfers from one troop to another do all his achievement, nights of camping, any achievement need to pass on to next troop or can the Scoutmaster decline using any previous advancements or achievements, if so what are they specifically. I work with the boys in both groups and some of these scouts are working very hard towards all of their advancement in both groups and they should receive whatever advancement they have legitimately earned in this troop or in another. Doesn't the council keep records under the scouts name and BSA ID# not just under their specific troop or crew roster.

Thanks for input