pack policies

[pack58acm]

Has anyone adopted pack policies? If so, I would appreciate looking at them to compare to what we are considering. Thanks.

[Twocubdad]

Yes we do. And coincidently, BSA publishes them in a book, "Cub Scout Leader Handbook."

 

(Sorry, I haven't had a chance to be sarcastic today.)

 

Seriously, 58, if you're thinking in terms of a big bylaws/policy manual, they are generally more trouble than they are worth. A) someone spends a ton of time writing them. B) they spawn controversy. If there is a written policy about something which is called into questions, people will argue over interpretation, wording, intent, etc., etc. There's enough of that going on over BSA policies.

 

A properly functioning pack committee doesn't need policy or bylaws beyond that established by BSA. If your committee is debating and voting on stuff, they're going about it all wrong. Committees should be managed by concensus. If there is a disagreement, ultimately the person responsible for that area decides, generally the Cubmaster regarding program and the committee chairman regarding adminstration, the COR regarding leadership and membership issues. (That's a VERY broad over simplification.)

 

But take budget as an example. Early on, the committee (which in Cubs included committee members and den leaders) reviews the prior budget and makes suggestions. The treasurer and committee chairman develop the new budet and share it with the full committee. Hopefully everyone agrees with it. But say that there are a few members who feel strongly that dues are too high. Discuss the issue, think through alternatives and try to come to a resolution. But ultimately the committee chairman is responsible to the Chartered Organization for the financial health of the unit and he/or she makes the final call.

 

Other than stuff like Pinewood derby rules I can think of only one "policy" our pack has that isn't found in the Scout literature, and even it is really an extension of the BSA rules. If one parent is taking responsibility for another child on a campout we require both parents and the tour leader to sign a form acknowledging who is responsible for the Scout. The back of the form is a Class I medical form with the permission to treat information. We do this in response to an idiot parent who dropped their son off at a campout assuming that their neighbor would be responsible. The neighbor didn't know this and went home at dark. We called the idiots to come get their son, but they had gone out of town for the weekend. Sheesh!

[OldGreyEagle]

Aw, but were they "idiots" or crafty scammers that engineered a week end without parental responsibilities knowing their child would we well cared for?