RememberSchiff

"Boy Scouts of America (BSA) launched a Hooked on Scouting photo contest, featuring their pro, Tom Redington. One lucky Scout and their family will win an all-expenses paid trip to the FLW Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Murray, SC in August. In addition to free lodging and travel, the winner gets a fishing trip in the Boy Scouts wrapped boat with Tom, VIP seating for all weigh-ins and concerts, plus he gets to attend the angler award banquet as Tom’s guest to meet all of the top pros." [video=youtube;3MZOtnRQ2wU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MZOtnRQ2wU&feature=youtu.be Contest entry link: https://a.pgtb.me/ZFZfK Who knew the BSA had a fishing pro and a boat?

Not to build, but to get studies done, permits approved (Conservation Commission, Planning Board, EPA). Also negotiations among partners and electricity buyers took time. Even a building a new school here in Massachusetts takes years to get approvals. November 2011 http://www.telegram.com/article/2011...WS/111059982/0 About 30 acres of the 1,600-plus-acre Boys Scouts of America reservation will be cleared for 20,500 solar panels, which will produce 6 megawatts of energy  the equivalent of powering 900 homes for a year. The panels will be installed and managed by Nexamp Inc., which will rent the land from the Scouts' Mohegan Council. Once all permits are in place, the project is expected to be operational by December 2012. The town of Rutland passed a zoning bylaw on solar panels two weeks ago. May, 2012 Neighbors express concerns http://www.thelandmark.com/news/2012...ar_panel_.html April, 2013 Comprehensive study by engineering students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) https://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/A...MQP_Report.pdf

Started in 2011, the Mohegan Council Solar Project six-megawatt installation at Treasure Valley was switched on June 30,2014. Nexamp, a solar energy services firm from Boston, developed, designed and built the array with financing from SunEdison which owns the solar installation and leases 35 acres from Treasure Valley Scout Reservation (1600 acres) in central Massachusetts. "For the next 20 years, SunEdison will sell the energy produced by the array to the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District, the Dudley- Charlton Regional School District and the Southern Worcester County Educational Collaborative. Jeff Hotchkiss, Scout Executive/ CEO of the Mohegan Council said the Boy Scouts will receive a sustainable source of income to expand their programs and the money will help cash flow and add to the capitalization fund and endowment fund, The Mohegan Council will also include an educational initiative for campers at Treasure Valley and in local schools with a goal of fostering better stewardship of natural resources. An alternative energy educational curriculum is also being developed by the Mohegan Council, which will develop the curriculum and fund teachers’ salaries in cooperation with the Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University, The Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics at Harvard University and National Grid." http://www.thelandmark.com/news/2014...ans_a_bri.html

Thanks for the longer video clip. Looks interesting but maybe more for adults. That old "boy scout" should have read Kudu's website on making snowshoes among other winter survival skills. http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/winter/gear/snowshoes/index.htm

I have heard about this short film by Patrick Brooks primarily due to its title but have not seen it. Has anyone seen this? Is it scout appropriate? [video=youtube;JyyPGCjVmOU] Here's an interview http://www.galomagazine.com/movies-tv/walking-an-unknown-path-filmmaker-patrick-brooks-talks-the-boy-scout/#.U7wn57GCHPE

Select a starting date range to keep it simple and just list name, year, town, state, troop number. No past or current mailing address, phone numbers, email addresses, certainly no Eagle Scout number. What this fellow was perhaps a little neurotic about was those few who falsely claim to be Eagle Scouts and there being no easy way to prove one way or another. Still it does seem to be inconsistent that National has so many lawyers protecting the BSA "brand" while allowing any guy to call himself an Eagle scout.

Over the July 4th weekend, someone mentioned that he had googled for a list of Eagle Scouts and found various links of "famous" Eagle scouts but not THE list of all Eagle scouts from first to most recent. He wanted to know why there was not such a list as it seemed a good idea to him. This seemed an obvious good idea to me too. The only explanation that I could offer him was that National, NESA, and local Councils have not managed those records. Not sure if most troops know all their Eagles going back to day one. Lost scouting history?

Gwendolyn Hallsmith, candidate for mayor of Montpelier, explains Merlyn's point further: http://www.vermonttoday.com/apps/pbc...9894/-1/blogs; Lesson in civics The latest controversy at City Hall is a good civics lesson, and what better time to learn it than the Fourth of July? Whether or not you agree with the Boy Scouts’ bigoted, discriminatory stance on homosexuals should be set aside for a moment, while we consider how cities should behave under the circumstances. There has been a lot of blame being passed around, but the real culprits are a mayor and a City Council who do not appear to have even a rudimentary grasp of the policymaking process. When you accept the mantle of a local elected official, you need to be willing to set aside your private opinions on every subject, from Boy Scout leaders to public banks, and allow the legally mandated policymaking process to do its work. Public officials are not supposed to shoot from the hip, as Thierry Guerlain did when he raised the issue of the Boy Scouts national policy in the context of a vendor permit application. Does the vendor permit policy (there is one, in fact) require the City Council to consider the national policies of all the organizations that apply? (It does not.) Has the City Council ever done that before? Why weren’t the Boy Scouts questioned on this issue last year? The year before? Policies require that the City Council follow due process, post public discussions, and allow all sides to be heard. The mere fact that they tabled this hot button issue to the next meeting does not in itself constitute a properly warned policy discussion on whether applicants for vendor permits provide assurance that their company or organization has adequate civil rights policies on the books. If it’s going to apply to the Boy Scouts, it needs to apply to everyone. Policies that apply to whole cities need the whole city involved in the discussion, individual council members’ opinions and sensibilities notwithstanding. This applies to the vendor permits, the master plan, the zoning, the personnel policies, all the legally adopted policies of the city government. When the process for policymaking is ignored, we sacrifice our essential democratic rights to the narrow ambitions of a few badly informed individuals. That’s not what my ancestors fought and died for after July 4, 1776. What about yours? Gwendolyn Hallsmith Montpelier Responses on her facebook page, particulalry from the Town Clerk, would support Stosh's point about the town's next election. IMO, throw all the nuts out and ship them to the nearby Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory. Maybe a new flavor - Smoke on the Water? https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gwend...03176393095852

Who is asking for a pizza party or any compensation or even a thank you? We just want to be treated fairly, believe me, I remember when we were.

My expectation is just fairness, specifically that our scouts are not punished for the acts of others beyond their control. No quid pro quo.

With the recent difficulties with fundraising at Montpelier,VT. I was reminded of another incident and the power of public opinion and tradition. As I recall for nearly 60 years, scouts had sold Christmas trees on the "town commons" owned by the Kendrick family in Amherst, MA. Around 2006?, the "town commons" became Kendrick Park now owned by the town and a new town manager arrived. As Christmas approached, the town manager decided a "usage policy" was needed for the Kendrick Park and the scout troop(s) would now have to pay $1/tree sold. The scout troop(s) sought another venue (a tax refuge?). As word spread, the public became outraged that town government had tampered with a town holiday tradition. The tax on Christmas trees was dropped. Almost a Mr. Smith Goes to Washington moment. So withdrawing from the venue while working on a Plan B, building publicity over a questionable change in a desired tradition/need, and then gaining public support worked in that situation. Later the town manager stated his tax on the joy of Christmas has not been his “…most glorious moment in public administration.†"

Tuesday, July 1, 8:50PM PDT "Police believe the handgun found at the scene will be traced to Las Vegas and that the boy brought the gun to camp himself, according to a statement from SDPD. Police also said the gun was unregistered." http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/PD-Boy-Scout-Brought-Gun-to-Camp-265468611.html

I am glad you mentioned this as I expected a larger number of similar responses. My IH and COR agree with you, turn the cheek and be a good scout and help with the cleanup. Maybe but I doubt this town council would have "learned" from that teaching approach. My father told me, a dog will only take so much kicking after that he won't come back. My $0.01

So while Mr.Guerlain is cleaning up trash, are you saying I probably should not send a scout over to sell him popcorn?

Good response from scout leader. I wonder if the "instigator" Thierry Guerlain will volunteer for clean up? Found the answer in the AGC article.... "Guerlain, who started the whole debate, is among those volunteering to pick up trash Thursday, as are Councilor Dona Bate, Mayor John Hollar and members of the Montpelier Alive board."

Due to National's membership policy, Montpelier (VT) city council denied scouts a vendor permit to sell bottled water at the July 4th celebration, however scouts could still pickup trash. So... "The Scouts declined that invitation  and pulled their application to be a vendor at the parade. Now the group of Scouts, which included two troops and one co-ed "venturing crew," have decided against volunteering for the clean-up crew after the parade, too. The Scouts have been involved for the last three years, but after the city council kerfuffle, "we're going to steer clear of Montpelier for awhile," said Leslie Sanborn, a Barre resident and longtime volunteer with all three scouting groups. "It's left a very bad taste in our mouths." The Scouts aren't the only one who feel that way. Yesterday, Associated General Contractors of Vermont pulled its longstanding donation of safety vests and cones from the event, citing dissatisfaction with the city council's treatment of the Boy Scouts. Casella Waste Systems and the local sheriff stepped in with safety equipment to fill that gap. City councillors and other community volunteers are stepping up to fill the shoes left behind by the Scouts, said Ashley Witzenberger, the executive director of the event's organizer, Montpelier Alive." ... "I thought, 'Let’s send a message to the Boy Scouts headquarters,'" said Thierry Guerlain, the City Council member  and former boyhood Scout  who first raised objections to what otherwise seemed like a straightforward item on the consent agenda at the council's June 11 meeting. Guerlain said he didn't realize at the time that the Scouts volunteered for clean-up duty at the event. He simply had concerns about what it meant for the city to be endorsing an organization with a policy he called "abhorrent and outdated." As for the Scouts' decision not to participate in the event? "They went from teaching the boys discrimination to also teaching them spite," said Guerlain, who called the decision not to volunteer at the event a "spiteful move" on the part of local Boy Scout leaders. "I’m surprised that we’re even discussing the fact that it’s more important to get the trash picked up conveniently by the Boy Scouts than to respect the civil rights of lesbian and gay parents who are disinvited from the Boy Scouts." .... http://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2014/07/01/boy-scouts-bow-out-from-montpelier-parade-over-national-policy-on-gay-leaders http://www.timesargus.com/article/20...STIN/706169942 Personally I never go where I'm not wanted. IMO, plenty of other places to do community service.

I would contact the camp merit badge councilor and/or the camp program director for clarification on any merit badge requirements discrepancy. Mistakes happen, but ff not satisfied with their explanation, complain to Council. A follow-up talk with the scout about the Scout Oath and Law may be needed. There is still time to set matters right. Unfortunately, this situation is not uncommon with summer camp.

The day got worse with another fatality on a scout rafting trip on the Salmon River in Idaho. Father and son were ejected from their raft at the river section known as the Slide. The father, a Seattle Fire Lieutenant, drowned. http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2014/06/poulsbo-man-50-drowns-on-boy-scout-rafting-trip-in-idaho/

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/boy-boy-scout-camp-dies-gunshot-wound-24368133 No firearms activity at this camp, apparently someone brought a firearm to camp.

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loca...265229971.html "A boy has died after shooting himself in the head Monday at a Boy Scout camp in San Diego, officials confirmed. San Diego police were called to a suicide attempt at the Fiesta Island Youth Camp and Youth Aquatic Center in Mission Bay at 7:35 a.m., Lt. Mike Hastings said. Officers were able to get the gun away from the 12-year-old scout but by then it was too late, Hastings said. Paramedics tried to revive the child, but he was pronounced dead at the campsite, according to a spokesperson for San Diego Fire Rescue. Investigators have blocked off the camp entrance and are interviewing scouts and leaders, including the child's father, who was present at the camp." What a sad day for all.

The prevailing wind around says it is okay if you or your family (and no other scouters/scouts) appeared in uniform for your campaign(good PR for Scouting). You and and your family could not wear the scout uniform to promote another political campaign as that might seem a BSA endorsement of a candidate. Seemed reasonable. Many local candidate will include in their campaign a military service photo, particularly in they still serve in the Guard or a reserve unit. The wind may be from a direction where you are.

As stated in their 2010 Annual Report, the Trapper Trails Counicl 2015 Obective of bringing their Endowment Fund to $5 million may be delayed. There is no mention of the Endowment Fund in their subsequent, less transparent annual reports.

From commanding ships in World War II and the Korean War to becoming a prolific artist to being active in the Boy Scouts of America for 88 years as an Eagle Scout and Sea Scout Quartermaster, Hessemer has done it all. "(The) scouts are responsible for everything I've accomplished in my life as I've followed the scout law from day No. 1," the retired Naval Reserve Commander said. "Becoming a Sea Scout Quartermaster is what got me commissioned as an officer in the Navy, and I've always remembered that." As Hessemer caught up with family and friends, he smiled about his memories and read letters from the families of deceased crew members either from his Landing Ship Tank 573 in WWII or the U.S.S. Chimon in Korea. http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/in...nder_from.html Happy Birthday Wayne. Thank you for your service to this nation and scouting. Scout Salute.

Council Endowment Chairman recommended an investment on a condo complex which promised a 12% return. Not quite Bernie Madoff but an interesting read and IMO shows a need for better disclosure of Council finances. http://www.standard.net/Courts/2014/06/20/Randall-reportedly-defrauded-Trapper-Trails-Council-hundreds-more-in-scheme.html