Council lost application

[Momleader]

At Roundtable yesterday - heard our council lost a packet of Cub Applications with a leader application from a pack the next town over. And I know of a couple Eagle Applications that were misplaced for months, presumed lost and found after parents of Eagles raised heck.   
 

how do other councils handle this handing over of information?  Do they sign for it or give a receipt?

 

sadly this is nothing new in our council (most of us scan and keep a copy just in case) but in the event of leader apps there are SSNs on there. Shouldn’t they be more careful to protect that information?

[desertrat77]

@Momleader, yes indeed, councils should be more careful.  But not only are many councils administratively inefficient (at least the several I've been associated with over the years), they rarely improve or show any concern about complaints.   Admin staff pay is usually low and turnover is high.

I don't have a good solution, aside from finding that one person on the staff that you can trust. Even if your paperwork doesn't fall within their job description, they can advise you, nudge their fellow employees to expedite things (or at least to pay proper attention) or handle the paperwork personally. 

I'm sure others have better solutions, looking forward to hearing about them.

Edited October 15, 2019 by desertrat77

[Buggie]

My council is notorious for losing paperwork. Most often, it isn't lost per se. More that the form is lacking some information or something is incomplete or not checked off, so instead of communicating the situation back to the unit/individual, they toss it and you have to figure it out months later and submit new paperwork. And likewise, even when it is received and processed, that isn't always updated on the right systems. Add the fact that some committees are horrible at following the status of things online and you can have situations where a leader is not official registered for over a year, even after paying rechartering etc. 

So ask me how I feel this whole re-do of background checks are going to go? My troop wasn't aware it was going to happen and as of last week, they didn't have a plan for a mass collection of the forms etc. I can see units having big problems with lost background checks. 

[Jameson76]

20 minutes ago, Buggie said:

My council is notorious for losing paperwork. Most often, it isn't lost per se. More that the form is lacking some information or something is incomplete or not checked off, so instead of communicating the situation back to the unit/individual, they toss it and you have to figure it out months later and submit new paperwork. And likewise, even when it is received and processed, that isn't always updated on the right systems. Add the fact that some committees are horrible at following the status of things online and you can have situations where a leader is not official registered for over a year, even after paying rechartering etc. 

So ask me how I feel this whole re-do of background checks are going to go? My troop wasn't aware it was going to happen and as of last week, they didn't have a plan for a mass collection of the forms etc. I can see units having big problems with lost background checks. 

Agree on the incomplete.  As a unit we take the Eagle applications to the office, (pre-EBOR) then hang around until completed.  We review them prior and even so, there is sometimes a date that does not work out right.  We correct it right there.

If we weren't there, I can see that application being put aside, e-mails sent (maybe), etc etc and it getting buried

[Eagle94-A1]

I am told that my council will no longer allow Scouts to photograph turning in Eagle project books and applications because people have taken photos , and then the counci loses them.

[PACAN]

@Eagle94-A1  The photo idea is brilliant!

[Eagle94-A1]

1 hour ago, PACAN said:

@Eagle94-A1  The photo idea is brilliant!

We are now sending stuff certified mail.