Committe Member Question

[pelczars]

Was curious to know what the protocol is for this situation:

Came into a pack where all of the current leaders and committee members are crossing over to boy scouts so the entire committee was stepping down. New members (myself included) have agreed to take the open committee positions and were voted in, now some of the old members decided they wanted to stay and refuse to step down. What is the protocol for this? If a member has been voted in is it not BSA policy to abide by that to avoid situations like these?

[T2Eagle]

BSA  units are not democracies, there is no "voting in."  The Committee Chair (CC), with the approval of the Chartered Organization Rep (COR) selects who is and is not a registered adult with the unit --- committee members, den leaders, etc.  So either the CC or COR needs to make the call about who is on the committee.  

 

That said, in pursuit of consensus and service to the boys, it should be noted that there is no limit to how many folks can be on a committee, maybe everybody serves for now, and frankly most of the other folks will probably lose interest when their boys are no longer there because the troop will have roles for them to fill.

[SnoScout]

I agree. Having a foot in multiple locations - Pack, Troop and District - if your heart isn't totally "all-in" it makes it difficult to serve. And, when you no longer have a boy in the Pack, easier to walk away.  That being said, I'm enjoying the Pack Leadership maybe MORE since my son has crossed over to Boy Scouts.

 

Has anyone said something like, we realize it's hard to walk away but we're ready to take this on and we know how to find you if we get into a bind?  Maybe they're staying on because they're afraid of what they built is going to fail. You could be the most competent person ever, but if they've never worked with you before, they may not know that...

 

If that doesn't work, perhaps working with your Commissioner to help you sort out a resolution.

[meyerc13]

If that doesn't work, perhaps working with your Commissioner to help you sort out a resolution.

 

A few weeks ago, I was that Committee member who wanted to stay.  The new Cubmaster and I had a talk and I realized that it was time to Enable them and step back.  It's part of the EDGE method, which we use in Scouting.  Perhaps one of the problems here is that there wasn't a good transition plan in place before they stepped down, and the 'Explain, Demonstrate, and Guide' steps of the EDGE process weren't fully implemented.  I think the fundamental problem is that the new parents feel they are ready to be 'enabled' and the old parents feel they are not.  Which is truly the case is hard to say, but if it's the latter then perhaps the new parents feel that the old parents aren't the best ones to teach them since they failed to do so before their sons crossed over.

 

If these folks really want to stay involved in Cub Scouting, there are many Packs who need help and most Districts would be happy to gain a few experienced Commissioners.  I was already a Commissioner, and the District has already found 2-3 Packs that needed my help far more than my old Pack which is one of the higher performing Packs in the District.  This is also something that the Unit Commissioner may be able to assist with.

[qwazse]

... now some of the old members decided they wanted to stay and refuse to step down. What is the protocol for this? If a member has been voted in is it not BSA policy to abide by that to avoid situations like these?

@@pelczars, welcome to the forums!

 

The protocol is that everyone work together for the good of the boys. Figuring out precisely what that is for every unit takes wisdom.

 

It's entirely possible that the troop is a juggernaut with more than enough committee and ASMs. (Most of us stick around our troop a few years after our children have graduated ... more if their spouses delay producing grandkids .) So, your former MC's go over there, see that every job is filled, and they might not fit in. (Imagine a troop always on the go, and an MC who doesn't feel fit enough to keep up.) Add to that, boys who ask their parents for a little more space, and they may want to stick with what they know best: helping the pack.

 

So, in this bunch, you usually get two kinds of people:

1. Folks who really can help you get some things done (smooth over paperwork, build a mean derby track, rally the CO, relate really well to first graders). If these are who you have, increase the size of your committee and create positions for them.

2. Folks who are too close for comfort (e.g., personality conflicts, overly critical, just don't fit in, etc ...) but would do well with another unit. You might want to call your district commissioner and recommend them for training in a district position. For example, there might be a nearby pack who could really use a unit commissioner.

 

So, your committee chair and charter organization representative should take a stab at determining who falls under which category and guide them accordingly.

[perdidochas]

Was curious to know what the protocol is for this situation:

Came into a pack where all of the current leaders and committee members are crossing over to boy scouts so the entire committee was stepping down. New members (myself included) have agreed to take the open committee positions and were voted in, now some of the old members decided they wanted to stay and refuse to step down. What is the protocol for this? If a member has been voted in is it not BSA policy to abide by that to avoid situations like these?

It's up to the CC and the COR to decide.  There is no voting in per BSA policy. It's a decision by the CC and/or the COR.  That is why they have to sign the applications.