sheilab

Yes one of the older boys is going to be troop guide. How can you have a patrol with 2 scouts and one being not a scout rank and the other a tenderfoot? They do not know much yet.

Looking for a feedback on what is the minimum and maximum in a patrol. Seems everywhere I look it appears to be different, is there an official page for min and max? This website appears to be from the Troop Leader Guidebook http://troopleader.org/types-of-patrols/ and this website http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/PatrolLeader.aspx . Both are good but seem to differ. Our situation is, we have 7 new scouts that joined last night. The scouts decided to put them into a new scout patrol. Our current scouts, which are 4 or 5 scouts. 4 or 5 because one just became Eagle and will probably not continue. These scouts decided to be in another patrol; however not sure if that is advisable due to only having 4 boys and both the SPL and ASPL are in this patrol and are not part of a patrol. Of the two remaining scouts, one joined 3 months ago and is not a scout yet and the other is tenderfoot. What would you do?

Our troop is doing better than last year. All scouts have exceeded their goals except 2; however sales are not over. We sell at Frys and Safeway grocery stores the first two weekends and this year we added Lowes. They also go door to door and sell to family and friends. The scout earn 38% since they do not want the prizes and it all goes into their scout account. This year the scouts decided to take 10% and put into the general fund. I have gotten donations from various businesses to use a prizes for top sellers etc and it works out well and keeps them motivated. The one thing I don't like about popcorn sale is the tracking. Wish I had an excel file that tracks all the popcorn, when the scouts exchange different kinds of popcorn etc. It is a nightmare to keep track of.

You are correct it does send emails everytime to change anything. I also did email the DE a couple days ago, but have not heard back. I thought I was doing something wrong.

Blancmange, Where on Scouter.com do you sign up for a website. I've looked but have had no luck. I'll also check out google sites. Thank you

Does anyone know of a free website for Scouts when you search say Google, it will find the Troop? I did find one from scoutlander and started creating our new troop a website, but if I do a google search it will not find us. Scoutlander told me it is the way google lists them. Since we are a new troop we do not have money to pay for this at the moment. I am not someone who builds website or know exactly how they work so if anyone can give some guidance in the area I would appreciate it. Thank you

Our troop just signed up for Be A Scout and we are having problems with getting the correct unit website to show. I copied and pasted our website in this place but it always reverts back to the council office. Anyone else have this problem?

Yes, we also talked about have the indiviudal accounts used for their dues, OA events, uniforms etc. Basically it was their choice how they spent their money, of course scout related. The general account we thought was for what startup costs we need (Patrol patches, troop numbers, Class B, ECOH rank advancement, MB, neckerchiefs and approx 4 -6 webelos crossing over). Once this was accomplished either as a percentage of fundraising or all the fundraing till the money is in the general account. Then at that point each fundraiser was divided between the boys who showed and in their individual accout. I think sometimes we get stuck on if we are truly boy led.... To me that does not mean the scout make all decision and do what they want, there are areas they need guidance and budgeting i believe is important. I am meeting with the PLC tonight to show them what we really need in the general account for a year and ingage them in what they think about how to come up with this money. Absolutely they should know all aspects of the money there are no secrets.

Thank you Fred8033. I have been dealing with finances/leadership for over 2 years from the prior troop and it was not fun, way too much drama for me. Being a new troop with good parents we now have an opportunity to do thing different. Of course we well never all agree on everything, but we are pretty close. Our leadership with the adults/scout is really good. The SM and the ASMs are wonderful and this is the first time I have ever seen the SM and ASMs allow the boy to take full advantage of the patrol-method. It is a little strange to see them sit in the back of the room and not get involved until they need to. We really need to decided on the finances. Who pays for what, what account and who makes that decision. Keeping it simple would be great. I think the adults are a little paranoid, we are not arguing just paranoid given our history with other troops but do want to make it work and make sure all opportunities are available for the boys. I am all for fundraising going to the individual accounts but when I heard scouts become more concerned about their own individual account and lose site of a troop being a team and they are all accountable for supporting and helping the team first I was a little concerned. I suppose I am being overly concerned and should stick to my gut instinct.

Hi Everyone I would appreciate your help and feedback as this forum seems to have an enormous amount of combined experience. I apologize for this post being pretty long. My son and two other boys (Eagles) wanted to start a new troop due to the prior troop being adult lead and some negativity by adults. I found the church and the boys within one week made it happen. 15 scouts (3 different troop, 4 younger and the rest older and Eagles), SM, 2 ASMs and 9 committee members, we had our first weekly meeting the beginning of this month, I am impressed by their dedication and willingness. Starting a new troop is a financial struggle for both scouts and adults which is what I would like your opinions about. We have been lucky, received many donations, complete flags, $600, Troopmaster, MB books, blue cards and MB card holders. The SM presented the scouts annual budget to the committee and I took their budget and put together an annual budget including their budget, what the troop needs including charter which we do not pay for 18 months and presented to the committee. Personalities came flying, not because of the budget but who pays for what and which account money goes into. I expected this since most of us came from a troop where the parents paid $150 for due and the scouts said I want this activity and we ran around making it happen. I believe most of us want each scout to financially support their program. There is no policy/procedure on who pays for what and what account it goes to; however there are many guidelines referring to BSA goal is that every boy raise enough money to cover his program expenses for the year and I did talk to the program director at council and that is also what he said along with our commissioner. I know the COR owns the troop and can ultimately say what goes. Our COR attends all committee meetings and would prefer for us to work it out. Since the goal is for each scout to pay their own way most of us are leaning towards a portion of the fundraisers to go to the general account until that covers what the troop needs for the year and all remaining fundraisers whoever shows up gets divided up between the scouts in their individual account. Is this realistic or fair, I am not sure. I do believe finances is important, a life skill and the scouts need the opportunity to learn budgeting and pay their way. The individual accounts are good for this and once they see they have reached their goal they will have a sense of pride, achievement and raise their own bar so to speak. I read a case study about individual accounts and the results from the study was increased participation in unit money earning projects, increased involvement from parents and boys, increased participation in unit activities and summer camps and greater retention rates. We have scouts that are in OA and this would also help them participate in those events since OA does not fundraise. I could be totally off base, I think the boys should know about the money incoming and outgoing and be able to have input in that decision; however they do not totally understand all financial aspect and should have the opportunity to learn. Isnt this called guiding them so they can learn a life skill? How is putting all funds into the general account or even select fundraiser achieving the goal of each scout be accountable for their own program. I can see what would happen putting all money in the general account, the over achievers will be paying the way for other scouts that chose not to participate and then the parents will be complaining. One comment from a parent was when a scout becomes more concerned about their own individual account, they lose sight of the fact that a Troop is like a team. They are all accountable for supporting and helping the team first. Not sure if I agree with this when the scout have goals, but I do know this particular does not want son to fundraise; however she is willing to select a few fundraiser to support the troop account. Being a new troop we have the opportunity to do things different or correct. We do not want to get lost in the verbiage of whatever the boy want, we need to support the boys or it is the scouts choice. We all feel that for the most part those are correct; however we also have other responsibilities to the boys, I hop that made since. Your inputs would be appreciated?

We had this issue in the prior troop where the committee wanted to remove the CC from her position and from the troop. The CC was coming off like a dictator, constantly quoting policy and procedures. CC had a hard time running the meeting and keeping everyone on task mainly because of the CC constant input to everything. Any committee meeting I have been in the CC, runs the meeting with no input except if we truly are going against policy and procedures. I don't know if that is correct or not, but that is how is has been for me. As far the committee knew the only policies and procedures BSA has is The Guide to Safe Scouting, Advancement and anything from National. In the CC eyes the Troop Committee Guidebook and anyone that the CC talked to at council was a policy and procedure. Most of the committee spent one year trying to work with the CC and it got too frustrating and we were all about to leave so we called upon the commissioner. The commissioner spend 6 months having talks with the CC and nothing changed so we decided to form our own troop. Yesterday I had someone call me from that troop and ask me last week what is the policy and process on how to remove a CC. I have not been successful on find the actual process written anywhere and the only policy I found is the troop is owned by the CO and the CO/COR can hire/fire etc. From what I am reading and I don't totally understand everything so i could be inaccurate, there are two way to remove a CC. 1. The committee can call an emergency meeting and have a vote. 2. The CO or COR can remove the CC. I am not totally clear on the process for both. For #1 is this discussed with the CO/COR first and then have an emergency meeting. If more than 1/2 the committee decides to remove the CC who would tell the CC and are they just out of their position or are they out of the troop as well. For #2 if the COR has had complaints from atleast 1/2 the committee he can have a chat with the CC and decided to remove or decide to see if it gets better. I saw someone said something about paperwork. Is there paperwork that needs to be filled out.

We are a brand new troop as of a couple weeks ago. Many of the Scouts got tired of it being adult lead so here we are in a new troop as of a couple weeks ago. We are learning the ropes, so to speak. It was brought up by the committee chair that the COR had to be registered as a COR and committee chair to have a vote at our committee meetings. Most of us thought that was silly since he has voting rights at council and district level and since the COR is over the committee, so to speak we thought he automatically had voting rights. He only registered at coucil as a COR, so we really just want to make sure we are doing this the correct way.

Are you saying they are the same person? We have a Committee Chair and a COR, who does attend our meetings and yes we vote. However the Committee Chair said it is policy that the COR also register as a committee member in order to have a vote on the committee. I could not find that policy anywhere but then again our Committee Chair things everything is a policy. The only policies I know of is the Guide to Safe Scouting and policies from National.

Does the COR have to register as a committee member and COR to have a voting right on the committee?

Our troop is considering purchasing Troopmaster Web. I noticed that most of the posts are not recent and I would like to receive your opinions now that some of you have been using Troopmaster Web for a while. Pros and Cons?

Troop22 - Why would you have to convince the Committee if the scouts are trying to raise money for camp trips etc. that they decided to go on? Why would the Committee not support the scouts decision unless it is a safety issue?

Thank you. In AZ we also have MLB, Festivals, State Fair etc. Did you guys know someone at these places to get started or did you just pick up the phone and call the place? Any words of wisdom that worked to get the job or who you contacted.

I am looking for some good fundraisers that do bring in a pretty good amount of money for the scouts and do not involve selling. I have heard before of scouts not necessarily parking cars but directing the cars where to park making $3000. Has anyone done this before and who did you contact to get this kinds of fundraiser? Our troop would like to do Floria Seabase so they need a few good funraisers.

I did the job she did for 4 years and there is always checks made out to our troop that is what the popcorn kernel tells them. I dont think she know who we even bank with so I dont think the checks will be signed. I will find out more at tonights meeting if she brings the checks/money. I guess I dont know what to say exactly I feel if she deposited the money into her personal account that is not good. Maybe I am being too black and white but I think all money collected for anything should be deposited into troop account and checks to pay bills out of the troop account. Here is another issue, last year we had about $4000 donated from a company to our Troop and the adults decided to buy a trailer which cost about $1000. Trailers are helpful but the Scouts did not vote nor do they realize it takes yearly insurance and tags. Now we have approximately $3000 left and they want it to stay in the troop account. I said for what this money was donated to the troop and the troop is the boy, they support themselves and the troop if we need supplies etc. This money should go to them maybe to go on a campout or two so they do not have to fundraise, they deserve this. I dont mean all of it. I think some of it needs to stay into the troop account for supplies etc.

I am not sure if some of you remember a post I did a couple months ago regarding how to do the Treasurers position which I have taken over, how our troop charges $160 for Scout dues, the only fundraiser the Scouts do is popcorn and most of parents are doing parent led instead of boy lead. It is out of hand with all the parent control freaks we have in our troop. Adults talking about others, sending separate emails to each other to make sure the Scouts do what they want even parents not letting their kids come to the PLC meeting. Gosh we even have a patrol that is having a patrol meeting at their house twice a month totaling 6 hours. My personal opinion is I dont think that is OK because they do not have any leadership by the SM or ASMs of our patrol, which mean the two parents that want it there way are doing it there way. Since my son is a JASM he is not in a patrol but if he was that would be way to much to do 6 hours a month patrol meeting at someones house, 6 hours of troop meetings a month, a campout a month and whatever fundraising is going on. Sorry I had to get that off my chest so to speak, it is very frustrating. The Scouts just finished selling popcorn and the adult that took charge of that is one of these control people that now does not talk to me and for the most part does not show up at Troop meetings to avoid having to talk to me. She has an issue with me because I will not reimburse her or anybody unless they fill out a reimbursement form and I had talked to her a few times along with other adults on how she is not allowing the Scout to make their own decisions on how they want to sell their popcorn, prizes versus the extra percent and what they want to do with their money. I was the popcorn kernel for 4 years so I know what options the Scouts should have been given. She decided it was going to be her way or she was not going to do that position. It actually got out of hand at a committee meeting when a few adults confronted her and she threw her paperwork down and walked out. I know the money was due to our council yesterday, or the Scouts would have lost 3%. I dont know for sure, I am assuming she deposited approximately $8000 into her account and wrote a personal check to council and at some point hopefully tonight since we have a meeting will giving me a personal check made to the troop. I have heard from some people that this is OK and others it is not. I would think that the money would need to be counted by me the Treasurer for verification, get deposited into our Troop account and then a Troop check made to council. This is how it has been done the last 4 years. I ask if it is written down because it seem like every time I bring something up or another adult who is trying to get the Troop back to boy lead we are always being asked where does it say that

Is there a BSA rule written some where that Scout money cannot be deposited into a personal checking account? I would think that all monies would go into the Troop Account. For example, when the Troop is finished selling popcorn, that money would go to the Treasurer to be deposited into the Troop account and then a check from the Troop account written to council.

Our Troop would like to do a service project at the Heard Scout Pueblo. I had another person tell me that this would not be considered a service project because it is a Boy Scout Camp. I have never heard of this and I have seen other Troops this as a service projects. I could not find anything on our council website to tell me if this was true or not. Any thought?

Thank you Remember Schiff! I did go to the bank with the prior Treasurer and switched everything over to me, just received my first bank statement last week and only 1 deposit and 4 checks were done so I think I can get that part under control. I am the only signer on the account, who would you recommend would be the second signer? The troop has never done any budget planning meeting and everyone writes check whenever they want and floats money all the time. Seems like they fly by the seat of their pants, so to speak. I have never seen the Scouts have a budget for food when they camp, nor the advancement chair when he buys patches etc. I was under the assumption that anything that needs to be purchased has to be approved by the committee. The only fundraising that I know of is for popcorn and that money goes to their Scout accounts, which would mean that the Troop would be doing all activities etc. with our Scout dues for 22 Scouts. We pay $150 per scout which is $3300 a year, I could be wrong, but that does not seem like much for a year for all the activities they do. The Troop Chairman is new; she just came over from Cub Scouts and has a hard time making thing stick. I guess I really dont know what I have the right to do or say, and it seems like everyone wants to try and pacify everyone. I went to the Scout Shop to find some specifics on this position and could not find much, however they were out of a lot of items.

I just took on the position in our Troop as Treasurer and unfortunately, I do not really exactly what this position involves so I am looking for some guidance. What I received from the last treasurer was a bunch of handwritten information with her own coding method, receipts and a check register that has never been balanced. The only item that I can understand/read is how much money is in each of the Scout Accounts, which from my understanding is really one account (Troop Account); however the Scouts are just separated from the Troop account. I know the troop does not have money to purchase a program, which would make it easier and unfortunately, I know how to use Excel; however do not know how to program it to automatically calculate. I guess I need help on all areas of what a Treasurer does. I was told by another Troop that the first thing I need to put together a budget ASAP for the year. That is a little hard to do given I cant read most of what the Treasurer gave me and I am not sure all the areas of what should be included in this budget. Any input would be greatly appreciated.