Pack Dues For 2nd Year Webelos

[SeattlePioneer]

Most packs recharter as of the first of the year and charge the same dues regardless of den level.

 

For 2nd year Webelos, that tends to mean paying for a full year when most will be completing their AOL in February-April with boys hopefully moving on to Boy Scouts and the Webelos program dissolving when that happens.

 

That seems inequitable. Does anyone do things differently or have ways to deal with that?

 

I'm thinking for example of striking a deal with Scout Troops over joining fees so that Webelos could transfer into the Troop at no out of pocket charge to families --- the pack paying any fees or reaching an agreement with the Troop to waive fees for AOL Scouts, for example.

 

 

[Ltfightr]

Why doesn't the Pack pay the Troops themselves? Collect the dues like always and then at the Cross-Over cut a check for however many boys are going to that troop? Or charge them a pro-rated price. Divide the yearly due by however many months you meet and then add the monthly amount for however long they will be there. Of course, you would need the monthly amount for either way.

 

Diana

[SeattlePioneer]

Hello Ltfightr,

 

 

Something like what you suggest is what I had in mind.

 

One of my aims would be to encourage the transition of Webelos into Boy Scouts by minimizing or avoiding the fees families pay.

 

 

[Basementdweller]

The dues are consumed by our traditional crossover date in february.

 

Pinewood, blue and gold, career arrow, tshirt, recharter the money is gone.....

[fred8033]

I've seen packs handle it two ways.

 

- Charge full year dues with the reasoning that the pack is paying for more advancements and recognition for the graduating Webelos.

 

- Charge half year dues with the reasoning that advancement cost is spread out over time.

 

Either is fine. Just find your reasoning and be consistent over time.

 

My issue is that 2nd year webelos tend to be the most expensive rank; followed by 1st year webelos. So by charging partial year dues, you are having lower ranks cover the cost of the webelos advancements. Generally it would equal out over time EXCEPT that lots of cubs drop out before webelos. So in a way, it's like a pyramid scheme.

 

I prefer charging full dues. Keeps it simple. If parents gripe, let them pay for their own advancements and recognition.

 

I prefer keeping dues low, less then $50.

 

I prefer not routing any funds to the troops. Money was earned during and for cub scouts. I'd rather see it kept with the unit earning the money.

 

...

 

QUESTION - If you would charge less for 2nd year Webelos because they are gone for half the year and the pack doesn't recharter them ... Would you charge Tigers more because you have to register them in the fall and again six months later? I just think it's hard to justify more or less because of time frame. Keep it simple and charge everyone the same.(This message has been edited by fred8033)

[Nike]

We prorate everyone and figure it evens out.

 

[kari_cardi]

Our Webelos have no cost for transitioning to the troop, other than uniforms. Charter is paid by the pack in October (December re-charter), transfer app to the troop is $1 in April. The troop covers the $1. Troop costs are covered by fundraising and outing fees as needed. No individual scout accounts.

 

The pack prorates dues for second year Webelos because we state that dues are $XX/month. Webelos cost more but in general, those scouts and parents have contributed greatly to the pack over the years. I think there are many ways to do this but it all starts with a good pack budget.

[CCbytrickery]

We charge the full amount for Web 2s. $55. They do not pay the advancement fee, however--they don't need another new book, necker/slide or set of colors.

 

In addition to their getting the belt loops and pins for a 2nd time, they also get their badges (or whatever they are called at this level). Plus their Arrow of Light stuff.

 

 

 

 

[Scoutfish]

They pay the full dues.

 

Thing is, they are just completeling the full circle.

 

See, way back when they joined as tigers, they paid Boy's Life, Insurance and registration fees to the council - not the pack.

 

So when they came to the pack, the pack itself covered the cost of any and all recieved awards, pins, beltloops, etc..... until recharter comes in January.

 

 

So, you geta free ride for 4 months( at end of year) as a Tiger, you pay full price ( at beginning of the year) for 3 months.

 

So, anybody really feel that cheated over one month?

[Twocubdad]

When I took over as pack CC (seem like it must have been in the Truman administration by now) all this was a disaster. We collected program dues in September and then recharter fees in January for in advance of a February recharter date. Our treasurer hated me and the parents thought we were nickel-and-diming them. We changed it to collect dues once -- in September -- and banked the recharter fee until it was due in Feb. A side benefit was that we solved a problem of what to do with the Web2s. Since they had already paid the pack back in September, we rechartered them in Feb, knowing they would be crossing over later that month. But the troop then counted them as transfers, and paid the $1 fee so it all worked out.

 

As to the inequity between years, we also did a cost analysis by year. We always charged for campouts and such ala carte, so the big variable was bling. We found that Tigers and Webelos2s cost us less than Wolves, Bears and Webelos1 and varied the dues accordingly. I believe our dues were $45 or $50 for Tigers and Webelos2s and $65 for the rest.

[5yearscouter]

We charge $50 a year,

and they pay it in November for the next calendar year.

 

They can use popcorn sales to offset the cost, and most Webelos 2's understand the value of participating in popcorn sales, so they can usually cover most of their recharter fee.

The pack buys them a Boy Scout Book, troop neckerchief, slide and the green tabs, that alone is a big part of what they paid us for recharter.

 

When they crossover we have 3 or 4 troops they might join. each charges a bit different cost. most will charge $1 plus a $4-5 per month troop fee, prorated. The most expensive troop if they join in March, they pay $31--plus the cost of a troop tshirt or if they want the troop hat that nobody wears except at summer camp. I think most can handle paying $31 to join a troop so we don't stress over it too much.

 

the den families usually cover most of the career arrow costs, but the pack gives a little and has some supplies--right now I have enough paint, tape and feathers, plus sinew in the pack pile to handle a few years of crossovers, so they only have to pay for an arrow and arrowhead, maybe some leather string. We have a simpler arrow that the den leaders usually make and a local Bow shop that sells a pretty inexpensive arrow for arrow of light crossovers.

 

 

[frank10]

My W II's cost the pack more than any other group in awards/pizza... and We still ave to pay a full year reg and BL on them. The local troops discount bases on the membership fee already being paid on them.

[qwazse]

Our troop does not collect dues from crossovers. Only the $1 transfer fee. If they stick around, they'll be paying for 7 full years, even the one when they turn 18.

 

We get that they've probably payed a full share to the pack. We want them to be investing in equipment and camp deposits. Chances are they won't be earning lots of bling that first year, so waiting until November to collect dues from them doesn't set us back much at all.

[SeattlePioneer]

We have four WebIIs this year for the first time, so we need to establish a program for dues and crossover and such.

 

Families benefit generously from popcorn sales, getting a free membership for selling $200 and 30% of sales above that as Scout Accounts.

 

Also, our Webelos Den Leader just hasn't been applying for awards for boys, so not much expense there.

 

We also plan to allow Scout Account balances to be transferred to troops that have Scout Accounts, and they can be used for other Scouting related expenses.

 

I'd like to have a no cost way for WebelosIIs to transfer into Boy Scouts. The neighboring troop charges $25 + BSA and Boys Life fees pro rated. WebIIs transferring into that Troop would need to pay the Boys Life fee prorated + the $25 fee. I might negotiate with the troop about that fee. I'm not sure what it goes for right now.

[Brewmeister]

Does anyone argue that Webelos get the lion's share of $$$ spent on them when it comes to awards? Let's see, 20 Webelos pins alone at $2 apiece...

 

Tigers could just as well argue, why do I have to pay full dues when all we get from a rank standpoint is a tiger totem ($2) and badge ($2). They are in effect subsidizing the Webelos.

 

So we charge the full dues at the beginning of the year and give them multiple ways to avoid paying them through fundraisers. Fair enough--suck it up!