Leaderboard

I know you know these options... but for the benefit of others who may not know... 1. Spend the money on Scout things: Summer Camp tuition for those continuing, adult training courses, patches and books you will give to a deserving unit nearby, etc. 2. With COR approval, donate the money to a good Scouting cause... here's one... The Memorial Scout Camp, in Maine, run outside of council/national influence... https://www.memorialscoutcamp.org/ They give gear and camperships to Scouts all over the country. Some of our Scouts have benefitted from their program. Here's another... Friends of Treasure Island (FTI)... https://www.friendsoftreasureisland.org/ think of these folks as a Scouting History Preservation Society. The private owner of Treasure Island (Scout Camp) allows Scout units to camp there for FREE from Labor Day to Memorial Day. The FTI is a non-profit group that staffs and runs program for those free weekends, including an awesome Scouting Heritage museum. I'm sure you could find others, if desired. 3. Tell the COR they may keep those funds, per Charter Agreement, in a reserve fund, should they be able to start a Scouting unit in the future. --- see CO responsibilities at https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/524-95625-Annual-Charter-Agreement.pdf "Administer the assets of the Unit, including all funds, real property, and personal property (e.g., trailers) that are acquired by the Unit either for the benefit of Scouting or in the name of Scouting and administer the assets for the benefit of the Unit." Nothing there says they return those funds or equipment to council. See also https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Fiscal_Policies_and_Procedures_for_-BSA_Units_20210513.pdf The only time a unit must turn over gear and money to the council is when the unit is chartered with council as its CO.

Dear InquisitiveScouter, [name change 😜 ] Scouting America, in collaboration with the Harris Poll, is conducting a landmark study to better understand the values that define our nation — where they come from, how they evolve, and how they influence our lives today. As a valued Scouting America alumnus, you've been randomly chosen to participate in this exclusive survey. Your insights will help illuminate the role Scouting has played in shaping the character and values of generations of Americans. Your responses are completely confidential and will only be reported in aggregate. The survey takes less than 20 minutes to complete. This study is only conducted once every 10 years — and only a select group of alumni are invited. <SURVEY LINK> [REDACTED] Please note: This survey link is unique to you and can only be used once. Kindly do not forward it to others. Your perspective matters. By participating, you'll be contributing to a deeper understanding of the values that unite us — and how Scouting continues to make a lasting impact. Thank you for being part of this important effort! Patricia Wellen Research Director, Scouting America Pat.Wellen@Scouting.org ------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Patricia! Question... if my survey is to be completely confidential, then why issue a survey link that is unique to me? To my regret, I believed BSA once before on this. After giving my opinion on what could be fixed in the organization, particularly with regards bloated and unresponsive staffing, poor IT support, and an unnecessary number of councils with overpaid council employees at the higher levels, our local council executive blacklisted me and removed me from all district and council positions. No, thank you! Regards, Inquisitive Scouter

Once upon a time, everything belonged to the CO: money, equipment, memorabilia, etc. Sometime in the past 20 years that changed. Challenge is that our troop is so old, that some of the stuff we have predates the council. Also the council has been of NO help whatsoever, for over a decade now. Worse, they have been more of a hindrance than a help. The CC still remembers when he was district CC and was politely call a liar at a council meeting regarding a project he asked to work on. And I have relayed my stories of their interference in other threads. They have lied to us about events being cancelled last minute and why they sold property. So no Scouter active in the unit wants the council to get anything.

Thanks for staying with it until the end, and making sure those who wish to continue in Scouting may have a good transition to wherever they may go. Agree all this should be done in person. Best to tell the two remote college members on the phone... a text would be impersonal, depending on how attached they are to the unit. I have been following your situation as you have related it here in the forum, and from my foxhole, it looks like you have made a great effort of it. I commiserate with you, as I am beginning to see a downward slide in our unit as well. Our best hope is to latch on to a few dedicated adults such as yourself, to keep it all going. Well-trained and motivated adults are the real heart of Scouting. Best wishes in the next Scouting task you take on 😜

Huh. I work for a fortune 50 company. They share the corporate, corporate subsection, and facility results each year. Then, when shared, they share a plan to improve the results.

Welcome to the forums! Try picking a few things from Troop Leader Resources , Program Features: https://troopleader.scouting.org/program-features/ You and your PL’s should familiarize yourself with this site and navigate to the “meeting suggestions” for each feature.

I won't respond to surveys that won't share the summary of responses with participants. Drives my employer nuts I won't respond to semi-annual employee surveys, but such is a qualifier for my participation

I noticed the second page has a photo of Green Bar Bill on it. I wonder if he is spinning in the grave with what is going on at national?

So I am in the process of dissolving the troop, and it is getting me depressed. I have been doing paperwork, making sure records are up to date so wherever they go, they won't have any advancement issues. I do not want my Scout to face the issues I had back in the day, or issues I have seen over the years. Also wanted to see what we can do to finish up advancement. Also created a calendar with remaining commitments: court of honor, Christmas party, and service project. I meet with the CC later today, and get to tell him we are dissolving the troop. That is going to be a challenging conversation. He has a long history with the troop, and sometimes I think his loyalty is to the troop, not the Scouts. But the CC has not been active since May, and has not been seeing what has been happening. The de facto CC and I realized that even if we did get 1 more Scout, because of the troop's make up, Some Scouts would be unable to do camp outs due to school activities, and it is hard to have a good camp out with fewer than 5 Scouts. And that is a disservice to the Scouts. This week we meet with the parents, and hopefully they will come. But last time I asked for parents to attend, regarding summer camp, no one showed up. I feel this is an issue we tell folks in person, and not in an email. Bad enough I got to tell the two college Scouters via text or phone. And I am also telling the Scouts. Keep me in your prayers.

Well the Scouters, save 1 who is out of town and really just keeps reregistering for OA purposes, families, and Scouts now know. One family is extremely angry, they are legacy and wanted the Scout's name on the church's wall with dad. They were only focused on that, not the best interest of their Scout or the others. The other two families, saw it coming, and appreciate we lasted as long as we did. One even commented on they were surprised we didn't fold last year. The Scouts were completely different. The two Scouts were upset and holding it in by the looks of their faces. One broke down. The troop was his "safe space" where he wasn't bullied or insulted. The question that really struck me was "where will you be going Mr. Eagle94-A1?" I told them wherever the majority goes. I did not want to influence their decision, I want them to explore and decide on their own. But my gut tells me one troop will be a better fit for all four of the Scouts.

Well I told College ASM 1 yesterday. He took it stoically, and knew it was coming via dad. College ASM 2, although listed as "Scout," was informed today. He took it really hard. He thanked me for calling him and talking to him about it.

I would hazard to guess that most units and COs do not read everything before signing. This is cut and pasted from the most recent version of the Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America. Council or Unit Assets Upon Dissolution Consistent with the Bylaws, in the event of the dissolution of a council or the revocation or lapse of its charter, the Executive Committee may, at its option, authorize the National Council to assume charge of the affairs of the council and continue operation pending reorganization or re-establishment of the council or wind up the business of the council. All funds and property in the possession or control of such council must be applied to the payment of the council’s obligations. Any surplus funds or property may thereafter be administered as deemed to be in the best interest of Scouting. In the event of the dissolution of a unit or the revocation or lapse of its charter, unit funds and assets must be used to first satisfy any outstanding unit obligations. Any remaining assets obtained with funds raised in the name of Scouting must be redeployed for Scouting use in the local area. Any assets obtained with funds from the chartered organization or parents of registered members may be redeployed as agreed upon by the chartered organization and local council. Any property or funds acquired by the National Council upon the dissolution of a Scouting unit or local council will be administered so as to make effective, as far as possible, the intentions and wishes of the donors. I would read the first highlighted line as money raised through things like popcorn sales, camp card sales, or other unit fundraising and therefore subject to redeployed locally. I would read the second highlighted line as perhaps something like a unit trailer that rather than raise funds for, parents all kicked in and bought, in which case the CO could lay claim to keep.

Very apt. As mentioned a lot of COs do not know what their actual duties are. And councils take advantage. A lot of CORs do not know they are voting members of the council, and if massed together can prevent somethings from happening. And councils depend on that fact to get things they want done that may not be in the best interest of the Scouts.

I would not call it theft, because council does ask the CO for the assets. In my limited experience with this, though, the CO's usually do not understand the stuff is theirs to keep, just earmarked for future Scouting. Does "predatory opportunism" better describe the practice?

LOL, I have two Eagle Scouts at Pitt who could bring some gear home on Thanksgiving break. Our Troop is looking for some flint and steel sets, draw knives for shaving spars, and an axe or two, if they are 3/4 axes. If you have any of that, we'd be happy to make sure it continues a life in Scouting. (Also, canoe paddles... Scouts are merciless on that gear 😜 ) One day, I'll get out that way and have a coffee with you...

Having closed and reopened once (and now with fairly robust numbers), I have tried to keep our assets lean. It’s hard to do with a steady stream of donations. Two months ago, we got a hundred flea market knives. Food donations covered the booth at a local carnival. Weekend campground fees are paid for the year. Last week we were given brand new axes. We are looking for troops who need gear, but that would require successful launching, which the council is not doing. I continue to encourage the committee to not have revenue in excess of expenses. The last thing we need is a huge balance in our checking account.

The survey asks questions primarily about demographic information (including religious and political leanings), values, Scouting background, and a smattering on your perception of the impact of Scouting on your values and lifestyle. Nothing about Scouting operations at any level. So, I submitted my answers.

Sheesh... found this

LOL... didn't take it. I'll look at it in a bit, but doubt it will let me advance through without answering questions and recording answers. Please stand by.

Your answer is contained in the Guide to Safe Scouting; Lodging/Cabin Accommodations Whenever possible, separate cabins or lodging should be provided for male and female adults as well as for male and female youth. Where separate accommodations cannot be provided due to group size or limited availability, modifications may be made. Where completely separate accommodations are not available, additional supervision is required. If adults and youth of the same gender occupy single-room accommodations, there must be a minimum of two adults and four youth, with all adults being Youth Protection trained. Physical separation by other means, including temporary barriers or space, should be used only when no other arrangements are possible. So, in your example, yes, one large cabin with 4 rooms would meet the requirement. But you could work something out with far less by way of accommodations.

Welcome! The site mentioned above by @qwazse is an outstanding resource. There is another page in that site at https://troopleader.scouting.org/activities/scout-skill-challenges/ which will help you pick some activities to populate your "BattleBoard." And another for Patrol Activities: https://troopleader.scouting.org/activities/patrol-activities/ I really like your idea, and there are literally hundreds of different things you could do. Here's a few spitballs: - Have the patrol perform a skit (a good patrol knows three or four skits) - Have the patrol lead a song (a good patrol knows three or four songs) - Have the patrols do their yells (a patrol must have a yell) - Using the checklist in the Scout Handbook First Aid section, Inventory the Troop First Aid kit and create a list of items missing. Present the list to the Troop Quartermaster or other person responsible for upkeep.. (When done with a MB Counselor, this fulfills a requirement for First Aid Merit Badge.) (This one ought to be done after every outing.) - Whip a rope using the method in the Scout Handbook. - Use a smartphone or computer and identify what is at the following locations: (this one has lots of potential) -- 40.6892° N, 74.0445° W -- 38.6251° N, 90.1868° W -- 36.0998° N, 112.1125° W -- 43.8803° N, 103.4538° W Have fun!

What!! If true, then very, very low... lower than a snake belly in a wagon wheel rut. And thanks for your continued service at the unit level. That is the heart of Scouting, and where things really matter most

I think you answered your own question I’m having trouble coming up with potential ideas for activities I could assign these scouts to do. Does anyone have any good activities or advice to solve this problem? I would add, your PL's should be assigning their respective scouts tasks as planned at PLC meeting. You as SPL should ensure your PL's are leading their scouts. Anyway, those are my thoughts. Other members here will add theirs.

Long Island (NY) council merge. Theodore Roosevelt Council, Scouting America voted to merge with the financially-troubled Suffolk County Council, Scouting America to form - Scouting America Long Island Council Long Island Council will own and operate three Scout Camps including Schiff Scout Reservation and Onteora Scout Reservation and serve over 10,000 youth in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York. Source: interesting background drama

Slater responded to Larry and Tim's motion. At first glance, the Slater firm's stance is Larry and Tim do not have any evidence that Slater committed ethical violations and the court does not have jurisdiction nor the authority to grant the motion. However, the court does in fact have jurisdiction on the matter and authority to grant the motion. The Trustee notified the court of the issues with the Slater firms claim submissions and the firm agreed with the Trust and took full responsibility for not using due diligence when vetting claims. The Slater firm did not address ANY of the ethical violations they have been accused of. They did bring up the accusations against the firm but did not shed light on what really happened and why they did not inform their client of the Trust pause and the 14 months of radio silence when their clients inquired about the status of their claim. Larry and Tim also filed for a subpoena today which will shed light on how the Slater firm handled vetting and processing claims and any business agreements the firm had to share their clients fees with other firms and/or contractors. The Slater response today amounts to shooting from the hip in the dark, and praying they hit something. Also, the Trustee filed a separate response on a particular aspect of Larry and Tim's motion. She stated the Trust did not come to a "settlement" with Slater, they came to an agreement with Slater about the neutral 3rd party review of Slater Claims . But it sounds like Judge Houser is just back peddling. Judge Houser has a habit of quoting the definitions of words and phrases in her her motions. If you look up the definition of "settlement". !) Settlement: An official agreement intended to resolve a dispute or conflict. 2) A settlement is a resolution to a dispute, conflict, or debt through a mutual agreement. Here is a link to Slater's objection: https://casedocs.omniagentsolutions.com/cmsvol2/pub_47373/460e708b-e6a3-4859-a859-c5c33c5be0bb_13217.pdf Here is the Trustees response to Lary and Tim's motion: https://casedocs.omniagentsolutions.com/cmsvol2/pub_47373/9cbffb0a-e37d-4b3c-addf-e61fd5501a7c_13220.pdf

We never had a set schedule for BOR. They were scheduled as needed. A BOR for T, 1,2 should never last more than 15-20 minutes. They can easily be done before or after a regular meeting if necessary. We have even done them on a Sunday afternoon to accommodate a Scout.

They're all still doing that from what I can tell, they are just not publishing them to the websites. My council will give you their plan if you ask for it but otherwise it's off the radar.

Why is this being driven by the committee chair? At the troop level the advancement coordinator is responsible for arranging boards of review. Additionally, though not the best option, a board of review can be staffed by parents, people from the community, basically anyone with some knowledge of the process that is not a member of the scoutmaster corps.

Recall before the membership drop, bankruptcy, covid, there was a push for all councils to publish a 5 year plan? Don't see that as much, maybe because goals were seldom met and a turn to the short term - merge and monetize. my $0.02,

Nice morning read with all quotes from the Eagle candidate. “This project has done so much for me in terms of self-improvement and motivating myself and working on stuff outside of school and pushing to get it done. This is probably one of the best things that’s ever happened to me in terms of that. When it comes to my future, leadership is a big part of what I am planning to enter— Public Policy/Administration, Politics, and something where I hope to have a positive influence on the world and make it a better place.” https://thesuntimesnews.com/how-an-eagle-scout-project-benefits-the-whole-community/

Fairly common; the rank and file most often have no clue, as those running the back play are not overly communicative to the peons. Still waiting for the announcement of our last camp which is supposedly in escrow, though no info is available for some reason. As some may remember, they sold our primary camp with no warning already. So we no longer have viable council camp property.

The module is just horrible. It fails constantly, leaders hate taking it because of stupid stuff like the soda can, and now that it's mandatory there's no way to know if your compliance is expiring without writing down when your renewal date is.

I notice you got no reply, probably because you have a good point. Especially because this forum is full of complaints from many people who refused the Kool-Aid on various points. Once a scout, always a scout. If everyone started a new scouting organization every time they disagreed with something in an existing NSO or MO, there would be no movement left. People's Front of Judea/Judean People's Front kind of stuff. The Scouting America Scout Law even has Loyal in it - you don't go splinter off in a huff just because you see a problem. No, you go fix the problem instead, which starts with defining and talking about it. Clearly not everyone even agrees that pressuring non-Christian scouts and scouters to be Christian or at the very least accept second class citizen status and stop complaining about it even is a problem in the first place, so there's obviously a need to talk about it.

OK... a pet peeve... yelling "Signs Up!"

I reapproached it tonight without success. Poor excuses about not having a meeting due to holidays and how important the drug presentation meeting is. I guess we're not going back until Dec and he'll have to do two BORs. He already did the drug class last year. For some reason the CC insists on doing one every year and the kids can't miss a single second of it. Since the temporary SM who insisted that he was done at the end of the year has now decided that he's staying on for another year, I don't see a need for me to attend every meeting. I was told, if they were 17, then they would do one, but since the kids are 11 and 13, they have plenty of times. For a troop that holds the G2SS as almost a Bible, they play fast and loose with the Guide to Advancement.

Well, the meeting with the CC went better than expected. He concurs with the exit strategy. But one interesting thing happened today. Ran into someone whose troop recently folded. Found out the council went after both the troop's money and equipment.