Pack Committee questions

[Lady_Leigh67]

Our Pack Committee meets once a month, usually the week after Roundtable.

 

Just wondering, what is on your agenda usually? Do you only stick to the agenda or allow "public comments"? And, who on your Pack Committee usually shows up? Do you have a separate Den Leader meeting each month?

[infoscouter]

We don't have a separate committee meeting. We use the suggested practice of having a Pack Leader's meeting, which we open up to all parents.

 

Our agenda is very similar to the suggested agenda in the Cub Scout Leader Book.

 

Parts of a Pack Leaders' Meeting

1. Evaluating the previous month

2. Finalizing the current month

3. Planning ahead

4. Unit Leadership Enhancements

5. Social time and fellowship

 

You may want to look at this previous thread:

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=151800#id_151812

 

Our discussions are pretty free flowing, but yes - we follow the agenda. All the committee members, the Chartered Organization Rep, all the den leaders (or a representative) and the Cubmaster attend. If necessary, someone representing a sub-committee in charge of an upcoming event will attend to report on their plans; e.g. for our pack campout, someone from that group attends for a couple meetings before the event, to communicate what's happening.

[Karen_216]

We have about 50 boys in the pack. Our leaders meetings are the committee meetings. We usually have about 10 people or more attend.(each den is represented along w/ committee positions- treasurer, secretary, CC, Cm, AC, awards, recruiter, etc) We advertise to parents but seems unless they have a position they are not there. These are supposed to be open meetings anyone can attend.

We follow an agenda. All dens report, treasurers report, upcoming evetns we discuss and vote on overnights, etc,and make assignements. Anyone is welcome to send an agenda item. We plan pack meetings 1 month or more in advance now -themes we set out in our June planning session. We do have time for other input on other topics- what's working, not working, etc. We also do a RT report and add any info from district.

[ScoutNut]

While we call it a Committee Meeting, we also follow BSA's policy of one monthly Pack Leader's Meeting for any and all Pack Scouters & Den Representatives, including our COR and UC. Parents are also welcome, but do not usually attend unless they have something specific to discuss.

 

Our agenda usually covers -

Evaluating the previous month's Pack meeting

Finalizing current month's Pack meeting

Preparing for next month's Pack meeting

Advance planning for Pack events and future Pack Meetings.

Reimbursements from Treasurer

Comments from all folks in attendance

 

We do not follow Roberts Rules, and are rather casual. We follow the agenda fairly well, but have been known to wander off on tangents at times.

 

 

[Bob White]

We had a healthy sized pack, 14 dens with two leaders in each den, and a pack committee that ranged from 9 to ?? in any given year. Combined meetings were too large so we had separate Den leader meetings that I chaired as the cubmaster. They were mini-roundtables where we incorporated skills, activities, and training.

 

The I represented the program folks at the actual committee meeting.

We got far more accomplished and I'd rather go to two productive meetings a month, than one unproductive meeting a month. (This message has been edited by a staff member.)

[acco40]

Weren't Den Leaders, at one time, formal members of the Pack Committee at one time?

[infoscouter]

Not that I've ever found. I have a small collection of historical Cub Scouting literature. My latest acquistion is

"Cub Program : How it Works" catalog no 3838, published in 1936.

 

It describes the pack committee as made up of members at large and Den Dads. Den Mothers were helpers of the Den Chiefs and 'supervised' the activities of the den. Den Dads are described as: "Members of the Pact Committee, frequently men with sons in the Pack, may be assigned as Den Dads to cooperate with the Den Mother and Den Chief in carrying on activities of the Den."

 

I also have various Den Mother books, Pack Committee books, Cubmaster books and some training materials. All of them describe the program leadership (Den Mothers/Leaders, Den Chiefs and Cubmasters) as separate from the Pack Committee.

[April-D]

We pretty much follow the guidelines that have been mentioned in this thread. Our Round Table is the 1st Thursday of the month and our Pack Leaders Meeting (that's what we call it) is the 2nd Wednesday of the month.

 

For July we are discussing the following -- just to give you an idea of what we cover...

 

 Treasurers Report

 

 Re-charter (we have a woman that has done it for the past several years and she won't be doing it again this time so we're goign to have to be sure all our den leaders are up to snuff on making sure we have all their kid's information for packmaster.)

 

 Pack Master (we just upgraded and changed to a dot net version)

 

 Scout Info (discussion of how we're going to do re-registration this year and verify all our scouts' informatioN)

 

 HL news alerts (we are allowed as a pack to put scout information in our HOA's e-mail news alerts which we'll use as recruiting and event advertisement)

 

 summer events (we'll talk up all the details for the remaining summer events -- ice cream sociall, horseback riding clinic, etc.)

 

 2008-2009 Calendar (we'll go over the new calendar make sure all the dates are known for any big events)

 

 Monthly Meeting Structure (we're changing up our pack meetings entirely into a activity/center driven "meeting" instead of letting the boys sit for an hour and be bored to tears)

 

 New Leader Packets (we're going to make these this year and distribute them to any new den leaders)

 

 Award Board (we're making an award board instead of handing out baggies and handshakes)...

 

 Den Interaction (we're going to change to have our older boys become more "leaders" for the new ones... bears to tigers and webelos to wolves)

 

 Meet the Teacher (we're goign to set up a mock campsite outside and possibly do a flag ceremony before the entire thing)

 

 Rally (go over the wonderful powerpoint presentation our CC prepared for us to use and pretty much go over what we'll be doing in September)

 

 Facility rental for PWD (our school charges an OUTRAGEOUS fee for this now so we need to find a new place to have this)

 

 Facility rental for B&G (same as above)

 

 Adopt a Street (we have adopted a one mile stretch of road in our town to clean up... going over the information about that)

 

.... so we talk about a lot of important things... and then open the floor for new business....

 

hope that helps.

 

We generally, like others have mentioned, NEVER have parents that aren't involved in some leadership role attend.

[ghermanno]

There also used to be a "Den Leader Coach" position. This person would hold the Den Leaders meeting (as well as other jobs) and represent the Den Leaders at the Committee Meeting or meet with the Cubmaster to ensure the Den Leaders concerns were addressed at the Committee Meeting.

[donnaw1]

I have been out of scouting for a number of years. I am back with my grandson and just got back from my first pack/ leader committee meeting.

I guess the pack gets things done but there is no order to it. There big question was if we would pay for sibs to go to the hay ride / farm trip that is planned. I had to ask how much money we had what they think our income will be for the year etc. Then after all that in comes a leader late to say it was free anyway. I could go on but my question is " How do I get the meeting to run with an agenda" I was a pack committee chairman for many years and not use to a pack the runs like this one. I want more order to things.

I don't want to step on any toes.

[Rythos]

"How do I get the meeting to run with an agenda" I was a pack committee chairman for many years and not use to a pack the runs like this one. I want more order to things.

I don't want to step on any toes"

 

How much responsibility do you want to take on? The more changes you want to make the more likely you are to end up with more and more jobs. Its kind of like going to Roundtable and asking someone how they got that Commissioners patch

 

One way you could approach things is to take a look at how long the meetings are running. Are they normally running over the amount of time scheduled? Do you notice others complaining about this, or about how things didn't really get finished? If so that may be your "in" to mention that an agenda could help make sure things get covered in the amount of time you have to work with. Just be sure your ready to be the one who ends up organizing the agenda, as if they are amendable to the suggestion to change, someone is going to have to put the agenda together

 

Good Luck,

 

Ry

 

 

 

[donnaw1]

To start I am not putting them down just being there makes them top in my book and yes I would step in and take the committee chairman job, (don't B____ unless you are willing to do the job your self).

The meeting started late and only lasted about 20 mins tops.

 

[Docrwm]

It doesn't sound like you are running them down, just that you are frustrated. I can understand. Our meetings were much like the one you describe last year. Burned out CM. But this year the fellow that organized our amazing Derby is the CM and our first Pack meeting last night was radically better!

 

It really comes down to the people. As the new-guy last year I made what suggestions I could but was roadblocked regularly. Got comments on all my training that were not precisely friendly but nothing you could point out as snide either. This year there is a real interest in new ideas, input, and generally more organization.

 

I think what others have said is true - How much responsibility to you want?

[ScoutNut]

While I applaude your willingness to take on multiple jobs, especially so soon, BSA only allows you to be registered in ONE position. Keep in mind that your current registered postion, that of den leader to your grandson's den, is really the most important job you can have. Are you willing to resign that job?

 

You have been back in Scouting, and involved with this Pack, for under a month. Take the training (things have changed a lot). Get to know the people. Get to know the other leaders. Let them get to know you. Get to know how the Pack really runs. Find out the best way's to work WITH the others.

 

 

[donnaw1]

I registered as a Committee Member not a leader. Also it is my understanding that as a committee member you can hold 1 other position which I am only helping with his den not the leader but could be.

I may have been out of scouting for a few years but you don't forget 40+ years of scouting (both BSA & GSA). Yes I do need to brush up on new rules but that is not the question here.

I just think a pack works better with more order and planning. You just don't do the same thing over and over year after year or the older boys are going to say (I did that already).