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This district will self destruct in 5..4..3...


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pretty sure my district was there, or nearly so just a year or two ago....

when I first started becoming aware of the district level stuff.

 

Since then, it has cycled up with several energetic folks taking it on.

 

I think it's like most everything.... it'll cycle up, then cycle down

unfortunately, sometimes the down cycle might go on too long till a unit goes away..... not sure about the district....

 

although, I'm thinking a bit like @badwolf... what's the point of district anyway?

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So what happens when a district has no members on district committee except the key 2.5?

I think it depends. Is the district carrying out the functions of a district? Are there district camporees and other events and activities? Is there a District Advancement Committee, or if not, is there a process for Eagle candidates to have their projects approved at the district/council level and to get Boards of Review? Are there Roundtables? Are there any commissioners other than the District Commissioner? I assume there is a DE. (I am not sure what the 2.5 means, which of the Key 3 only counts as a half?)

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So what happens when a district has no members on district committee except the key 2.5?>>

 

 

 

The DE and the District Chair or Commissioner had better start beating the bushes to find new people to fill positions.

 

 

If they can't do that,  they need to be replaced with someone who can.

 

 

If you Google "District Nominating Committee",  you will find a procedure to have an election to fill the position of District Chair.  If you have a District Chair who isn't doing much and wont turn over the position to a better person,  that procedure can be used to find new leadership.

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Have people left due to toxicity on the part of Key 3 members, individually or collectively?  Sorry, just trying to read between the lines.  I've been in a few situations where nearly everyone bailed due to toxicity coming from the top.

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Since the District is an administrative territory of the Council, it can't really "go away" without being merged with another by action of the Council Executive Board.  Even if all of your Commissioners and Committee members walk away, the District still exists.  It can even exist without all members of the Key 3.  A District in that scenario will definitely struggle in carrying out the 4 functions, but it still exists.  High-performing Units will still be fine, and likely not notice much until they need something.  But Units in need of greater help will suffer.  

 

Often times to plug these gaps a well-meaning volunteer or pro will try to round up as many folks as possible for the sake of having things covered without taking the time to make sure everyone's in the right spot.  It's been my experience that Districts that are staffed by the wrong folks often do more damage than good.  I would rather have no Commissioners than ones who refuse to do the job.  I'd rather have a couple folks who can make a good recruitment or FOS ask rather than an army of well-meaning folks with a terrible sales pitch.  But I digress...

 

While it sounds terrible, a District in this situation may be poised to make a great recovery.  As long as you have good leaders with a vision in those key roles AND they know how to recruit, what you may be witnessing is the start to a District revival following an exodus of longtime volunteers who (even with the best intentions) were holding the District back. 

 

@@SeattlePioneer hits the nail on the head with the District Nominating Committee.  When the proper procedure is followed, it's amazing how quick things can turn around.

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Miami_Chief, what are the "4 functions" of a district? Advancement, activities/events, training/Roundtables and supporting units (commissioners?) If so, I got 3.5 out of 4 without knowing there were 4 specific functions. And then what does the District Committee do, oversee the performance of the committees/commissioners carrying out those functions? (You would think I would know this after 15 years as a Scouter, but I have intentionally avoided getting involved at the district level except for being a YPT facilitator at district "training days" - which is the one "function" I left out, assuming I got the others correct.)

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I think it depends. Is the district carrying out the functions of a district? Depends on what are considered the functions of a district (If you are talking about FOS and Popcorn well...)

Are there district camporees and other events and activities? Barley, and I really not sure, for example, if there will be a camproee this fall (maybe it will be with another district?)

Is there a District Advancement Committee, or if not, is there a process for Eagle candidates to have their projects approved at the district/council level and to get Boards of Review? There is a Advancement chair only

Are there Roundtables? Yes, but many have stopped going.

Are there any commissioners other than the District Commissioner?  I think so

I assume there is a DE. (I am not sure what the 2.5 means, which of the Key 3 only counts as a half?) 2.5 because one of the key 3 is there in name only

 

 

 

If you Google "District Nominating Committee",  you will find a procedure to have an election to fill the position of District Chair.  That's assuming we have a District Nominating Committee

 

 

Have people left due to toxicity on the part of Key 3 members, individually or collectively? I would guess it is a number of reasons but toxicity at a high level could be a part of why some are leaving and others wont join district committee

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Miami_Chief, what are the "4 functions" of a district? Advancement, activities/events, training/Roundtables and supporting units (commissioners?) If so, I got 3.5 out of 4 without knowing there were 4 specific functions. And then what does the District Committee do, oversee the performance of the committees/commissioners carrying out those functions? (You would think I would know this after 15 years as a Scouter, but I have intentionally avoided getting involved at the district level except for being a YPT facilitator at district "training days" - which is the one "function" I left out, assuming I got the others correct.)

Program: includes District Advancement Committee ops (merit badge counselor lists, eagle boards, etc.), Training, Camporees, Klondikes, Cub Day camps, Cub Family Camps, etc.

Finance: Family FOS, Popcorn, Community FOS (hitting up local business to donate)

Membership: roundup/recruitment, marketing, relationships (religious and otherwise)

Unit Service:  Commissioners and Roundtables

 

Ideally, a district would have 3 vice-chairs for each of the first three functions with committee chairs under them.  This is frequently found in districts in the Lake Wobegone Council (where all the districts are above average!) but seldom elsewhere.

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SeattlePioneer, on 26 Aug 2015 - 2:25 PM, said:snapback.png


 

If you Google "District Nominating Committee",  you will find a procedure to have an election to fill the position of District Chair.  That's assuming we have a District Nominating Committee>>

 

 

 

Appointing a Nominating Committee annually is something the District Chair is REQUIRED to do.

 

I had a district chair who hadn't appointed a nominating committee in years,  and had no interest in doing so.

 

 

But I handed out the nominating committee rules that can easily be Googled up,  and made a stink about it until the task was done.  It became painfully evident that the District Chair wasn't CAPABLE of finding volunteers to appoint to the committee.  That made it painfully evident where our district problems were beginning.

 

Eventually,  enough pressure was placed on the District Chair that he took advice on who to appoint,  and we wound up with an excellent new District Chair and an Excellent new District Commissioner.  They have been busily working on rebuilding the district committee for the past year.  Still not an easy task,  but they are working at it and having reasonable success with the task.

 

That's a LOT better than the death spiral of deterioration that had been going on for years before that.

 

 

 

 

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