Purpose of Den Dues?

[dsteele]

Fscouter --

 

Cool!

 

DS

[Twocubdad]

Don't let it be said that no one on this board ever learns anything or changes their mind....

 

Currently, our Pack budgets $15 per Scout for den activities. This can be spent however the Den Leader chooses, generally for craft supplies and such. When the den leader buys something, they turn their receipts in to the treasurer who writes them a check.

 

It occurs to be that their can be a diffrence between Pack dues and Den dues. No way would I want to count on boys bringing in $3 per week to meet our pack budget. But if we cut the Pack dues $15 across the board and then ask each Scout to pay $1.00 per meeting, we could simply let the den leaders keep the Den dues as petty cash and spend the money as they see fit. Yes, there are accountability issues there but the amount is fairly small and I guarantee our den leaders are currently spending a lot more money out of pocket for which they aren't being reimbursed.

 

That may be a way to make everyone happy. I'll put it on our the agenda for our annual planning meeting in August and see how it goes.

 

 

 

[dsteele]

Now you're talking! The risk is minimal and the rewards, long-term, to the boys are great.

 

Just a thought . . .

 

DS

[fotoscout]

TwoCub,

 

Many of these techniques work in principle, and they are all terrific ideas, but say you have a boy who only attends 70% of your meetings. Then there is another boy who is very often sick, and the regular routine of boys who miss meetings for one reason or another. At any time you would have the potential for not collecting dues from any these boys. Over time, this will add up to a considerable amount of money.

 

Im sure that you, like me and many others, always buys enough supplies for all the boys in your den. So now youve spent money with no chance of recovery because if the boy wasn't at the meeting you didn't collect his dues.

 

On the other hand you guys have given me an idea, anyone smell something burning? Next year my boys can earn their Whittling Chip. I think Ill tell them, followed up with a letter, telling them that they can earn the card only if they have purchased a knife and sheath with their own money. Ill tell them what to buy and were to buy it, but they will have to earn the money for it. Not a bad trade off and it's goal oriented which is easier for the boys to understand.

 

 

 

(This message has been edited by fotoscout)

[Bob White]

Next year my boys can earn their Whittling Chip. I think Ill tell them, followed up with a letter, telling them that they can earn the card only if they have purchased a knife and sheath with their own money.

 

I hope you are joking. You do not have the authority to add to the advancement requirements.

 

BW

[Twocubdad]

Which is why I wouldn't want to try and collect $6,000 one dollar at a time. Hey, read my earlier posts -- I agree with you that trying to fund a pack budget this way would be a nightmare. But I'm willing to write off a small amount at the pack level in order to create the learning opportunity. Sure, there needs to be some ground rules for the boys. I think it reasonable to tell the boys they are responsible for paying their dues even if they miss a meeting, since the DL will be buying stuff in anticipation of their being there.

 

At least in our case, I don't think we will be short-changing the Den Leaders either. Most of our dens never spend all the money in their den budget now. Unless they have a big expense, I think most DLs just eat the few dollars they spend here and there -- it's not worth the trouble to save the receipts and file an expense report. If they are collecting the den dues themselves, they are probably more likely to reimburse themselves out of the envelop. At the end of the year, they can either spend the remaining money on a den party or turn it in to the treasurer.

 

 

[FScouter]

If I were the den leader, I would collect the dues as best as I could, then turn the money over to the pack along with my expense receipts.

[fotoscout]

Bob, I dont get your point, except for the excessively literal interpretation of my words. Whether I ask them, or tell them, (and youll note that I did not say require them), is a mute point. Whether I supply my own knives or have the boys save to purchase them, or, suggest that the parents buy it is a mute point. Where they buy it, is another mute point, except that it would be nice for them to all have CS pocket knives with a sheath that they made themselves.

 

The reality is that some will follow the recommendation, and some will not. What I can guarantee with 100% confidence is that all of them, even the 8-9 year olds, will have the interpretive skills to understand the concept.

 

May I suggest a good Poetry Book???

 

[Bob White]

The problem fotoscout is "they can earn the card only if" that is requiring!

 

Unless the next words you type are "complete the requirements as presented in their handbook" then you are wrong.

 

Scout advancement is outlined in the boy's handbook and requirements are determined only by the BSA. If you were to read the BSA advancement policies in the Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures Manual you would find that no Council, District, Unit, or individual has the authority to add to, or subtract from, any advancement requirement in the scouting program.

 

You cannot add to the 'whittlin chip' by saying they can only earn it if they purchase something. They earn it if they complete the requirements in the handbook. Your promise to the BSA was to follow the program, not to alter it.

 

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[fotoscout]

Bob my point stands. Let me rephrase your initial response for you.....Foto you may want to look at the only if part of your sentence.

 

And I would have said, good point Bob, thanks Ill rephrase it.