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COR/voting rights


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Actually the COR would also be the Committee Chair, not a committee member. Since they are appointed by the IH, they can actually overrule a committee decision, and only the IH can overrule the COR.

 

Me personally, if your unit's committee does things by voting, then I would be the CC as well, and not vote except in the event of a tie.

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Are you saying they are the same person? We have a Committee Chair and a COR, who does attend our meetings and yes we vote. However the Committee Chair said it is policy that the COR also register as a committee member in order to have a vote on the committee. I could not find that policy anywhere but then again our Committee Chair things everything is a policy. The only policies I know of is the Guide to Safe Scouting and policies from National.

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I believe the answer to the question is no. They *can* be a member. For example, my CO requires the COR to also be the treasurer. So, in that role, I do have a vote. However, I tend to only vote when there is a close issue. My opinion can sway people and I want my committee to run things while I tend to be more of an overseer. NOTE: I am a voting member of the "local council"

 

In our units, we hold monthly joint committee meetings. The agenda belongs to me the first 30 minutes. Only CO wide issues are discussed (pack, troop and crew). After that we break up into 3 seperate meetings and I float between them as necessary. Therefore, if an issue comes up to a vote AND I am in another room, I don't get to use my treasurer vote.

 

As a member of the scouting family, I have suggestions and ideas I like to submit for consideration; but those are NOT as part of my role as COR, they are more of a very involved scouter looking to improve the program. The committee owns the vote.

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A COR is only one of two people who can register in more than one position in a BSA unit.

 

A COR can multiple register as either the Committee Chair or a Committee Member.

 

You will not find any BSA policies on unit voting rights for a COR.

 

Your COR works DIRECTLY FOR YOUR Charter Organization (which owns your unit), and can override any/all votes of the Committee.

 

If the Head of the Charter Organization wants their COR dual registered as a Committee Member I see no problem with it. The Committee Chair however does not get to make policy for the COR.

 

I suggest your COR discuss this with your Charter Organization.

 

By the way, your COR is a voting member of both the district and council committees, so why not the unit committee as well.

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'Nut,

 

Not arguing, but asking when the policy changed. Back in the day (98), I was taught that the three roles: IH, COR, and CC, were the only ones that could be held by the same person. A person in the either the IH or COR roles could hold no other positions in a unit except the CC.

 

For example the IH could also be the COR only, or COR and CC. Ifthe IH wasn't the COR, the appointed COR could also serve as the CC. Again they could not be in any other positions.

 

And yes, the COR is a member of both the district and council committees with full voting rights, something that is sometimes not widely known, esp. to new CORs. They have full voting rights on those committees.

 

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My understanding (based on what I have read in the Committee Guidebook and on the scouting.org) is that the COR is not a part of the committee, unless he also registers as the Committee Chair. He does represent the unit (or units) and may be a part of the District Committee and the Counil Exectutive Committee. Most, of course, do not follow through with these responsibilities.

 

This page has some intersting information. It is one session of the outline for COR training. Not always specific and detailed, but certainly insightful.

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/Relationships/TrainingtheCOR/04.aspx

 

 

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"My understanding (based on what I have read in the Committee Guidebook and on the scouting.org) is that the COR is not a part of the committee, unless he also registers as the Committee Chair."

** False. The sited resource doesn't say that.

 

"He does represent the unit (or units) and may be a part of the District Committee and the Counil Exectutive Committee."

** False. Not "may be." "Is."

BDPT00

 

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Our COR and CC are different people, however the COR is very active in scouting, having held most other unit-level (and several district) positions at one time or another. He is, essentially, a de facto committee member and participates as such. Our committee is an agreeable bunch and it doesn't usually come down to votes. However, everyone recognizes that the COR has the final say, should he choose to exercise it.

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And yes, the COR is a member of both the district and council committees with full voting rights, something that is sometimes not widely known, esp. to new CORs. They have full voting rights on those committees.

Slight change of topic here, but I am just curious - If a CO charters two units, a pack and troop for example, would their COR have two votes at the district and council level? Would the result differ if they had different individuals for each position? Should it be different?

If a CO was very involved and wanted to have more district/council influence, should they appoint separate COR's?

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Officially, the COR is the same for all units. So if a CO has a pack, troop, crew, and ship, the COR is the same for all 4 units.

 

However I know of one instance where the CO had a pack and a troop, and had two separate CORs. I think that because the pack had one number, and the troop a different number (don't ask), it somehow got overlooked.

 

But every CO has 1, stress 1, COR.

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To clear the confusion the COR by his title represents the Charter Organization and not the unit. They have the authority to overide any unit committee decisions that are in conflict with the CO's interests or beliefs. The COR can also be the CC or MC of a units committee and be eligible to vote on committee issues, as a CC or MC. The COR also has voting authority on district and council issues.

 

If a unit committee is in conflict or a leader is violating BSA policies the COR or IH are the only ones with the authority to officially remove that individual from the unit.

The COR has the right to attend all unit committee meetings and offer their guidance, or override any decision of the committee if it is conflict with any policy of the CO.

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Yah, what BadenP said. ;)

 

Eagle92, someone steered yeh wrong back in the day. COR has always been allowed to dual register as either CC or MC. Depends whether or not he/she wants to chair meetings and do the other work a CC does.

 

But if da committee votes, I think a COR has to avoid confusion. If he/she votes as part of the committee, it's not kosher to override the group just because the vote didn't go the way the COR wanted. Yeh have to trust your people or get new people. If it's a CO mission or policy issue, than the COR should make that clear up front so that the committee knows it's not a voting issue.

 

So to get back to sheilab, no, the COR doesn't have to register as a committee member, and whether or not the COR votes on the committee is up to how the CO wants to structure its committee.

 

Can I ask if this question refers to a specific issue in your unit? Maybe if yeh give us more details we can give yeh more help.

 

Beavah

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We are a brand new troop as of a couple weeks ago. Many of the Scouts got tired of it being adult lead so here we are in a new troop as of a couple weeks ago. We are learning the ropes, so to speak. It was brought up by the committee chair that the COR had to be registered as a COR and committee chair to have a vote at our committee meetings. Most of us thought that was silly since he has voting rights at council and district level and since the COR is over the committee, so to speak we thought he automatically had voting rights. He only registered at coucil as a COR, so we really just want to make sure we are doing this the correct way.

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Fair enough, shielab. The correct way is whatever is consistent with your Chartered Org's mission and values and what works for the kids. The BSA offers a program to help with those things, and it helps a lot, but it's not a substitute for adults caring and being reasonable and thoughtful.

 

Keep your focus on the boys and your desire to help 'em grow and really lead, and don't sweat the small stuff. And kudos to yeh for doin' the hard but exciting work of starting a new troop!

 

Beavah

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