Troop Committee Composition

[DrBeado]

We are starting a new troop and would like suggestions about how to compose the committee. How big is a good size? Should we put as many parents of scouts as we can on it? How about adults outside of the troop? Any other suggestions would be welcome. Our only model is the Committee on the troop we are leaving, which is not exactly a good example to use.

 

Thanks.

[ScoutParent]

"The first five positions are essential for quality troop operation. Fill those positions first. There is no maximum limit to the number of troop committee members. The minimum number is three adults ages 21 or older."

 

I personally like when people outside of the troop are involved in the committee as well as parents from the troop.

 

Once you get going you'll get an idea of the standing subcommittees you'll want to have and can fill more committee positions as needed.

[yaworski]

If you can get people from the community who don't have children in the troop to sit on your committee, go for it. All too often, parent want to skew the troop activities and policies to benefit their child. Not all the children, just theirs.

[FScouter]

Get started right. Get several copies of the Troop Committee Guidebook # 34505. Every committee member should have one. There's no need to learn everything from scratch. The book has the answers and the methods.

[ScouterPaul]

Good advice so far. What our Troop did was to recruit the Pack Committe Chair to be on the Troop Committee. Her son is still in Cub Scouts. This gives the Troop a good line of communication with the Pack. She also sits on our BORs.

 

Paul

[eisely]

One should seek maximum participation from your chartered organization.

[ASM7]

I think I remember from my Cub days, that an assistant Cubmaster should be the liason for the Pack and Troop relations. I, personally don't think it matters, but would someone confirm or deny this. The more connections between Pack and Troop the better. Also, what is the rule for holding more than one position? Is that just within the troop or pack, or what? The Scoutmaster Handbook pgs. 136-137 gives a lot of insight for Troop-Pack relations.

[eisely]

One can be registered with more than one unit simultaneously. This is quite common when you have multiple sons, some in cubs and some in scouts. Within a unit one is registered in a specific position and that is it. If you are registered as a generic committee member the extent of responsibilities you may take on is not visible to the system and you may wear multiple committee hats. Not advisable, but sometimes unavoidable in small units. In another thread Bob White made an interesting point that, if a chartered organization sponsors more than one unit, e.g. a pack and a troop, then the same individual must be the chartered organization representative on the roster for each unit.