Thrown Under the Committee Bus

[AnnLaurelB]

So if you've been following the saga of the "Ghost Committee", you know that our church wanted to revive their lost Charter. So they basically got 3 old guys to sign on to be the 3 Committee members. They had a Cubmaster who wanted his son in, and they got me to agree to be the Tiger Den leader.

 

Well, that Cubmaster was deposed due to ...issues... and I was named Cubmaster ad litem. I found I liked the job, and decided to keep it. The other guy though, was still *around* because his kid is in the program. It wasn't long before we realized that the 3 old guys were just names on the paper, and didn't REALLY want to help.

 

They appointed the former Cubmaster to the Committee, as the "Events" Chair, basically so he could be made to do the gruntwork. Which, hey, somebody has to do, right? But he makes everyone *crazy*.

 

Now the Chairman/Staff Liaison/Secretary/Treasurer lady who's carried the Committee (since the 3 old guys wouldn't help) is RETIRING, so there's FOUR hats that SOMEBODY'S got to put on, right? Or at least 2 of them. CORep is the obvious choice. He backpedaled and refused to even show up to the last Committee meeting.

 

We had a special meeting tonight with our Dist Scout Exec; CORep didn't show up to that one, either, I suspect so that he couldn't be named Chair. I also had a guy email me at the last moment and say, "I was really only interested as a name on the Charter. You should probably ask someone else."

 

So that leaves me in the room with the Scout Exec, the EX "We-can't-let-him-continue-as-Cubmaster" guy, the old guy who was guilted into taking Treasurer, and the old guy who does Advancements.

 

The Scout Exec explained the situation, and asked both of the old guys if one of them would consider it. They both flatly refused, even though the Exec explained that it was really in name only.

 

Then the old guy Treasurer says, "I don't see why Ex-Cubmaster-Guy can't be Chairman.

 

UM...BECAUSE WE HAD TO ~*REMOVE*~ HIM FROM THE POSITION?!? HOW ABOUT BECAUSE HE WASN'T *~FIT~* TO BE CUBMASTER?!? He shouldn't even BE on the Committee! And now they've named him Chair. About which he irritated me before we even got out of the room. "Oooh. Does that mean I can wear my UNIFORM again, Mistress Cubmaster?" Ugh.

 

*headfloor* *headfloor* *headfloor* *headfloor* *headfloor* *headfloor* *headfloor*

 

The Scout Exec knew it was wrong. But the meeting had ground to a halt, so he said, "Um...I have to check...I think you're listed as Asst CM, so you can't be Chair AND that...and you don't have enough Den Leaders... I'll have to see *IF* we can shuffle you into that position...." He was trying to be diplomatic.

 

He met me around by my car, and said he realized that wasn't the outcome I was hoping for. Um...no, it wasn't. "But SOMEBODY'S name had to be put down on the paperwork." Which I understand, but this is DISASTROUS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[5yearscouter]

The answer is that unless you bring new blood into the discussion, there won't be any changes. You have to talk to the parents and get one of them to sign up to do a job. tell them you need them to do it for 1 year, or til next recharter, and this is what they need to do. if you can't get the big job, then get the other jobs that truly count, treasurer in the hands of someone who will have the best interests of the unit at heart, advancement with someone who will go get the awards and come to the pack meeting with them (or 2 people doing each part if it's too big of a job). someone to make a newsletter, someone to fill out tour permits, break it down into little jobs and get each parent to sign up to do one thing.

otherwise the pack will be toast in a short time.

[SR540Beaver]

Question, how many boys are in the Pack? Do you have Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelos 1 and 2 Dens? How many boys per Den? Surely there are some parents you can get to step up.

[AnnLaurelB]

Well, let's see...

 

Tigers - 2. One dad is the DL but RARELY held meetings, because of school, work, etc... Oh, and it turns out the CC never turned in his paperwork in the first place, from last Sept. The other Tiger's family has just done it at home and come to the Pack activities. They run their own business and homeschool their 4 kids, and won't commit to anything more. *Wonderful* people, but they're just swamped.

 

Wolves -- 6 (one of them mine). I, Cubmaster, am also Wolf Den leader. WE ARE AWESOME!! But 1/2 of my parents are ESL and quake when I address them. The English speaking ones blanch and stammer and say, "Oh.. I... no... I'll bake cookies, but I can't be signed UP for anything... no."

 

Bears -- 2. They have been WITHOUT Den leader the entire year, and both families have done it at home, because both boys play sports and sometimes don't even make it to Pack meeting ONCE A MONTH because of sports. *shrug* That's their choice.

 

But ONE of those 2 Bears (soon Web1s) parents is the nutty Ex-Cubmaster, now Committee Chair. He doesn't SHOW UP to stuff because of SPORTS! How is he gonna even... UGH.

 

Web1s -- 1. His grandmother has lead a joint Web1&2 Den all year. But HER kid is a holy terror and is driving families away. I an SUPPOSED to have a discipline hearing with them, but she's now INCAPACITATED with some hip dysplasia or something and can't even SIT UP.

 

Web2s -- 2. Lovely boys. Bridging them next month. I wish them well.

 

So um... yeah, Total Number of Actual REGISTERED Den Leaders: 0.

 

I know it's part of the CM's job to oversee the Dens and make sure everyone's cranking along, but with trying to do MY son's Den AND be CM, AND do what the Committee never would, I couldn't do it all.

 

I have a phone date tomorrow with another gal who's an Asst CM in a nearby Pack. I am going to pick her brain, and decide by May 10th whether I'm going to continue, or just take my little Wolfies (soon to be Bears) to another Pack and let this one fend for itself.

 

(May 10 because there's a recruiting night May 12th, and then the current crazies could decide if they wanted to go forth without a Cubmaster).

 

 

[beardad]

I honestly think it's time to tell each parent that it's been fun, but since there are no volunteers, next year there will be no scouts. and then walk away.

 

hopefully then some of the parents you asked to help will seek you out and help out. If not. honestly find another pack.

 

You will be burnt out trying to do it all your self. I've been in one of those small packs where 1 or 2 people do everything. I got burned out and quit, and the pack folded. Now I am in a (slightly) bigger pack, and recently (March) became Cub Master.

[moosetracker]

AnnL !!!!!!! I knew you had a small pack.. But you have NO ONE but YOU !!!

 

You are the Cub Master and the Wolf Den Leader!!! So who is helping you..

 

No Commitee..

A Tiger leader who is not doing his job, and they are doing work at home..

No Bear Leader.

A Webelos kid whose Grandma is pretty much doing a lone scout program, and you don't really want to put anyone with them, and wish they would leave..

 

So who does that leave??? You... and You.. and You...

 

You are very energetic and would be a GREAT asset to a functioning Pack.. But, you can not continue to go it alone.. I would love to see people with your spark be some place where you can put your talents to the best, and be rejuvinated by the other adults in the program that you can start to establish friendships, and mutual interests and values with..

[SR540Beaver]

It sounds like it is time for a parent's meeting where it is laid on the line. If you like Cub Scouts and you want your son to have a Den and Pack, it means some folks are going to have to step up and put forth some effort. Without it, the Pack will die. Dens of 1 or 2 boys can't be very fun. Honestly, recruiting for Cub Scouts is like shooting fish in a barrel. The more boys you have, the more potential you have for adults willing to step up. Of course, you need some dedicated adults in place for when new boys come on board. Kind of a chicken and egg scenario. If no one is willing to step up, then and only then would I bring up the possibility of merging the boys into another Pack with the caveat that the other Pack will need adult leaders too.

[AnnLaurelB]

When you're right, you're right! I have been ruminating about this, and the flowchart is:

 

I'm going to talk to my gal-peer from the other Pack; there are TONS of very vibrant Packs in the outlying area, but it is a rural area, and it had been attractive to me to have a Pack in my own back yard (sometimes literally).

 

To join another Pack means commuting, but that's not the end of the world. I'm going to ask her what she thinks, and what she might advise.

 

After mining that conversation, I'll decide whether to TRY to do the recruiting night in two weeks, and see what happens over the summer, and whether people will step up... ...or cut and run and just pick another Pack.

 

If the receiving Pack can't provide a whole Den leader for all of my Bears (in exchange for whatever they want of me), then it'll just be finding a Bear spot for my kid.

 

What I can't decide is whether to give it the Bear year, and stay Cubmaster, or run NOW and not wait until Webelos. It's hard giving oneself permission to give up.

[moosetracker]

You are not the one that has failed this Pack.. Don't let yourself think it for one minute!.. Don't accept it from others that will accuse you of it, when they would not lift one finger to help..

 

It is the parents who will not step up to the plate that have failed this pack. You have done a great job..

 

If you want to join a different Pack with a whole den of Bears, then you could probably stay on as their leader.. That would give you the ability to stay with your bears, you can then find a meeting place for your den meetings close to home, and it would simply be the Pack meetings, Committee meetings and events that you may need to travel to..

 

Unless a Pack has a Bear den with only one or two Bears yet a leader in place, it will probably be something they will be happy to talk to you about. It means adding on a good amount of kids (recruiting points for them).. With the Den Leader already recruited.. Your Den parents will more willing to migrate with you to the pack, if the commute is not every week for them.. Win/Win..

[CalicoPenn]

"If the receiving Pack can't provide a whole Den leader for all of my Bears (in exchange for whatever they want of me..."

 

What if the only thing they want of you is to be Den Leader. No other role - not CM, not ACM, not a committee member - just the Den Leader for what appears to be a good size Den as it stands right now?

 

Seems to me this is the win-win.

[shortridge]

Seems like you're in a really, really difficult position. I don't envy you in the least.

 

You've gotten really good advice here, and I hope it works out well. However, I would say this. If it was the church's desire to restart the pack, then it's the church's responsibility to make sure the pack has proper leadership. Before you transfer to another pack (which seems like the best option for you!), you and the DE need to have one final sit-down with the IH and explain to him or her just what is going on and how the charter will again go defunct. Make sure the CO knows the consequences of its lack of leadership - explain just how the COR bailed - and then go about your business.

 

That way, the church can't start raising a ruckus after the fact, and the DE can cover his behind by saying "Hey, the CO didn't want to keep it going any more."

[AnnLaurelB]

Well, I just meant that I'd *like* it if my son had a MALE Den leader. I'm more than happy to be Asst DL or even vice-versa. But my whole goal in having the boy in Scouting was for him to have male role models.

 

That's not a deal-breaker at all, though, and if most of the boys from the Den wanted to transfer with me, and a Pack would take us as a whole Den, then I'd be happy to do it.

 

I would have a harder time seeing the tipping point (trying to be *determined* to make it work) if they hadn't appointed the deposed CM to be CC last night. That REALLY tipped the scales for me.

 

And I did NOT consider the point that, if our own Den is all kids around HERE, then we could continue to meet in my backyard for Den stuff. THAT is something to consider!! :0)

 

(*scurries off to google the driving distances to other Packs*)

[5yearscouter]

um, having been in a situation like this, I would run. and hide. and find a working pack and not look back.

 

That said, it is not what I did when I took over the pack. I took the job of cc, since then I could be the boss. Cubmaster's run the program side, but in the case of not having a cubmaster the cc acts as cubmaster until one can be found.

 

if you are going to continue to try to fix/grow this pack, you need to make some serious changes.

 

if you have no leaders, you have no pack. explain that to the parents.

 

in order to have enough leaders to really run the pack, if you have 15 boys, 1 parent per scout would have to step up. you need to explain it to them. the pack requires a cc, treasurer, secretary, cubmaster, asst cubmaster, leader and asst in each of 5 dens, that

explain to the parents how cub scouts work--that it is parent run. put the focus on the parents have to do the work, there is no person at national, council, district or the chartered organization that is going to do the work for the parents and that you can no longer do two jobs. blame it on council if you need to since nobody but cc can be dual registered.

 

==> so the new pack requirement is that every parent must fill our a leader application. Get the CC and COR to realize that this is a requirement to make the pack run and go forward with it.

 

Each boy must have a parent choose a job title (even if it is committee) and pass the background check. my pack did this when we had 15 boys and no parents signed up for any jobs except 3. We are still doing this when we have 45 boys. when they join they pay the cost of their background check(registration and insurance) and must do youth protection training and committee training. and then they must choose 1 pack job to have their name on and one pack activity to help run.

 

at recharter time, most parents who are not actually wearing a uniform and doing a job will drop to the scoutparent position(free at recharter time) but we don't really tell them that is an option.

 

doesn't mean everyone steps up, but it pushes the issue to the forefront, everyone MUST do a job of some kind. You can make brownies? you are now in charge a snack rotation plan for the dens and pack meetings.

 

next, with a small pack, don't tell everyone to go do their stuff at home. have all dens meet the same place, same night of the week. consider weekly meetings, 3 weeks are den meetings, 1 week is the pack meeting. if you can't get the committment, push people to the closet to that you can do.

 

having everything at the same place, means everyone has back up. this is key when you are getting new people to do stuff that they don't know how to do, don't want to do. they need to know you have their back.

 

you can do a joint gathering activty, joint flag ceremony, and then each den goes and does an activity. if you don't have a den leader planning anything, give them ideas. that means everyone may do something with trees for a couple of meetings --go outside and collect leaves on trees n a mini hike(yeah not really LNT, or bring some leaves from home), next meeting tigers do a leaf rubbing, wolves make a leaf collection, bears do pressed leaves and webelos work on identifying trees from the leaves and pictures in a book. don't do the same activity with each rank or they'll be bored next year. try to separate it out.

 

once a month work on a belt loop together as a pack. once a month do a pack meeting, and whenever possible make it a destination/outing/event. go to a baseball game with group rates, give out awards as you first enter the stadium before the game starts, sit together and cheer on the team (having done rules of a sport and the baseball belt loop ahead of time will fit most ranks).

go to a city center/mayor's office. talk about government, do a flag ceremony outdoors, talk about citizenship.

 

at roundup, have everyone come and sit down at tables by grade. advise them that you are a new pack, pack getting restarted, whatever. and that at each table is the boys in certain grades. that just like the local sports, before you leave the table you must choose a coach and asst coach and team parent(den leader, asst den leader and committee member/parent coordinator).

 

Explain the training required and if possible figure out how to get all leaders to take training together. talk to a local business or school/college computer lab and see if they will let you bring everyone in for an online training session, discussion, yearly planning meeting and refreshments.

 

good luck

[qwazse]

Yep. Your stuck.

 

The CC's job is to rally adult leaders. It is possible for CM and CC to not have a good relationship and still do their jobs. BUT the CC needs parents on committee to help him make wise decisions and you need DL's to dive into these boys' lives. If nobody's budging to lend a hand you'll never have that 5 den model with the Byzantine heirarchy the rest of us have come to love.

 

The alternative: switch to the one room school model. T, W, B, W1's and W2's meet in one room together every week. Ask the parents to take a turn on a topic/project each week (start with the ESL's). Promise you will stand along side them. If all they do is teach the kids a song in their first language, you've won!

 

If you have a "cookie" mom. TELL HER SHE'S TEACHING THE BOYS TO BAKE.

 

Teach the parents to fill out forms or tracking sheets on the boys.

 

Every fourth week, all the parents come and you have a pack meeting.

 

Akward? Yes. Worth not having to commute? That's up to you.

[Oak Tree]

That's good advice from 5yearscouter.

 

It would be much easier for you if you just joined another pack. Is there no one else in this pack who shares a vision of a good working pack for their own son? If not, I'd say you'd be much happier with a group who has already figured out at least some semblance of how to get leaders signed up.

 

But if you do decide to give it one more shot, I would do as 5yearscouter suggests - make it a rule that one parent must volunteer for something. You need a den leader at each age group. If you do not have a den leader, those boys unfortunately can't be signed up (said in your most sorrowful voice.) I'd start with the den leader positions - if you have those filled, the pack will actually run. The CC can be important, but I wouldn't let it bother you much - as a Cubmaster and leader you're clearly in charge and the CC is there to support you. You might not get much support, but the problem right now is that there's no one who would give you any support. The ESL parents wouldn't have to fill out an application as long as they'd be willing to help out in some way.

 

I'd also agree with the suggestion about the church - who in the church wanted to restart the pack? Do they know how it's going? Can they help out in any way? I'd make the youth pastor the new COR and get him to pressure the old COR to be the new CC.

 

You need more help, and if you can't find it by the start of the next school year, you should find a good pack. Cub Scouting should be fun. For you as well as the boys. Find a place where it can be good for both of you.