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Troop Committee authority - exceeded?


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Here's the story, as short as possible.

 

The troop calendar was put together by the PLC, with guidance from the SM and myself, the ASM. Historically, our troop, which meets on Monday nights, didn't meet on any holiday. But the SM and I had discussed how there was no reason not to meet on the "minor" holidays, like Columbus Day, MLK's birthday, and President's Day. So the calendar presented to the troop committee showed troop meetings on those days.

 

The troop committee (which includes any parents who wish to attend) discussed the calendar at length. They took a vote, and decided they didn't want to meet on the Mondays mentioned. They issued a revised calendar, announcing this was the calendar approved by the committee, and that for the most part, the troop will not meet on the Monday night of a 3 day weekend.

 

Did the committee exceed their authority? If so, what steps would you suggest?

Or did the SM and I exceed our authority?

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Committee meetings are held during troop meetings, so I tend to keep an eye on the Scouts, while the SM attends. My understanding of the plan was for the SM and SPL to present the calendar, but I'm not sure if the SPL was there.

 

The SM expressed his opinion, but the committee members expressed their opinions (obviously negative in the majority), took their vote, and overrode the SM.

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Why is the Committee approving the calendar?

 

The PLC sets the calendar with input from me (the SM) and the Assistant Scoutmasters. We publish the calendar, and that's when the Committee finds out about it.

 

The Committee's job is to support the program, not hinder it. In the several years I've been SM, there's never been an issue. If someone can't attend a meeting because it conflicts with some family plan, then that person just misses the activity. The troop goes on.

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According to the Troop Committee Guidebook (mine might be dated): "The PLC puts together the annual program calendar at its annual program planning conference. It then submits the troop's yearly plan to the troop committee for its support. At this time, the troop committee may make alternative suggestions for the patrol leaders' council to consider."

 

Based on that description the TC can't overule the PLC, only make suggestions. So technically, yes, the TC overstepped their bounds. I will say though, if those "minor" holidays are also school holidays, I would consider these to be valid suggestions and as SM, ask the PLC to consider accepting those suggestions.

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This is not "Follow Me Boys" or 1950. People travel a long way for stuff now a days. (I know it's 15 minutes via highway to my sons's troop meeting.

 

It may be an issue of distance to the Scout meeting.

If the Scout lives close he can walk. If he is not away on a 3-4 day weekend, sure he could make it.

 

Scouts that need to be driven assuming parents will take them is something I would image the Scouts would have to ask their parents for before committing them.

 

Not unreasonable for the parents on the Comm. to balk (veto/alter the calender....maybe/maybe not).

 

In our Troop, those kind of meetings are not very well attended (yes we have some on those holidays).

(This message has been edited by dg98adams)

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If the parents attending the committee meeting decided they were not going to drive their scouts to the troop meeting, what would be the point of having the troop meeting? Ideally, everything in scouting is boy led but in the real world parents still make decisions for their sons.

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I do think the commitee overstepped their boundries but I also don't agree with meeting on hilidays.

 

Who defines a minor holiday. Because minor to some people may be major to others. And meeting on a "minor holiday" may be offensive to some one in your troop or even a group of people in your community.

 

I personally believe that a safe plan is to observe the same holidays that government offices and schools observe. Even if I may think it is a "minor holiday", I should respect other people's feelings and it is also a good time to spend with my family or friends.

 

So my advise is not to fight this minor issue and put your good intentions to work in some other area.

 

Good Luck.

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SM goes to the CC, has a cup of coffee, and sends this message: "This is the program the youth have requested. My support needs from the Commitee are x, y, and z. Please have my back and make it happen. If not, please give me some very good reasons why the adults are trumping the youth."

 

Now, if the SM and CC don't have each others back, there are bigger fish to fry than youth scheduling, and those bigger fish aren't very tasty :(

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I don't think this was the committee's decision to make. If the PLC decides to have meetings on three day weekend Mondays and two adult leaders can be there, then that's the way it should be. So what if some guys won't be there because their family takes a short vacation. Guys are missing from meetings all the time. Our guys have decided to have meetings on vacation Mondays and sometimes not. Sometimes they decide that the PLC needs to meet on a holiday Monday, sometimes not. Rather depends on plans they have in the works.

 

 

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Did the PLC take a firm stand on meeting on those nights - perhaps because they need those extra meetings for prep for treks? Or did they simply say "OK" to the calendar that you and the SM put together?

 

If the former, then the troop committee needs to understand that. If the former - if the boys aren't gung-ho for this, and if those meetings aren't crucial to carrying out their planned program - then it's more a conflict between adults, and not worth a fight.

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I'm with Shortridge on this, as that was my first thought after reading this -

 

"But the SM and I had discussed how there was no reason not to meet on the "minor" holidays,"

 

This is a tug of war between adults with the Scouts caught in the middle.

 

Find out what the SCOUTS want to do, and proceed from there.

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