Troop Committee question

[Compass]

To rlculver415 (and anyone else that can remember your original post):

 

I don't have any books with me, so I can't quote chapter and verse, but here goes:

 

The committee is there to support the troop-- boys and Scoutmaster. The committee serves as a 'sanity check' on the program and the Scoutmaster.

 

The committee meets, the Scoutmaster attends. Any voting (if necessary)is limited to committee members.

 

 

[Compass]

Gentlemen,

 

Remember, there are adults new to Scouting that need your help and advice. They need your wisdom and experience, not rancorous exchanges and dogmatic proclamations. Present your views, and disagree politely. Be an example, for our nation's/boy's sake(s).

[rlculver415]

Just wanted to say thanks for everyone's input. I've gotten quite a bit of training this fall and have a better handle on what's what. Also, I asked the UC this question and the answer was as I'd expected all along. SMs and SAs do not vote in committee, they are not committee members. Actually, SAs don't really need to be at committee meetings at all. The SM is the liason between PLC and troop committee.

 

Last week at our TC meeting, our CC apparently forgot which meeting he was leading. He began the meeting with only himself present as a committee member and the SM and several SAs in attendance. When I arrived (five minutes late unfortunately), he was about to take a vote on something. I had to remind him that we lacked the requisite minimum to conduct the meeting. He seemed surprised and did a quick head-check, then went into conversation mode. Advancement arrived shortly thereafter and the meeting resumed. (I have no idea where the rest of the committee were.) The funny thing is - he kept calling for a vote on every item (not his usual style). Now I confess to having a rather wicked sense of humor (as does my good friend, Advancement). If Advancement made the motion, I'd second and the item passed. If Fundraising (me) made the motion, Advancement seconded and the item passed. We let the CC go on like this for a while before I mentioned that if two out of three motioned and seconded it, there was no way the issue wasn't going to pass. After that, he went back to the usual consensus.

[LauraT7]

"And what if some of the committee members insisted that there was no safety issue and would not budge."

 

to refresh your memory - I posted earlier that our troop had planned a caving trip, a small group of older boys wanted to backpack that weekend instead and the troop committee tossed out the PLC's plans and "decided" to make the backpacking trip for the whole troop.

 

The odd thing is, I AM on the committee - the activities coordinator, in fact - and I dont EVER remember any discussion or voting to change the Caving trip to a backpacking trip - some very strongminded Committee people and the CC decided without consulting the ones they knew would oppose it. (like me and the Acting SM - we obviously have ALOT of ADULT problems in our troop)

 

then those same adults took over the trip - the men all got in a back room with a topographical map and excitedly discussed where and how to get there, routes and distances and how far they could go in a day - they were like kids with a new toy. they didn't even bring in the 2 Sr boys who originally came up with the idea.

 

ok, so what happened? the boys "voted" with their feet. not ONE signed up for the trip!

 

YEAH for our boys!!!!!

 

i guess some grownups have to learn the hard way.

 

In your scenario of the committe approving a yellowstone trip in winter where the boys aren't prepared and the trip has dangers for younger boys, etc - I would think that the outcome would be similar to what happened with our backpacking trip.

 

Our troop had done a backpacking trip (for 1st class and above) last year where it unexpectedly rained and snowed, and the younger boys who went were not conditioned, packed wrong and came home very cold, sore, wet and miserable.

 

the boys themselves realized that they were not prepared or conditioned for such a trip and therefore it would not be any "fun". While none of them would say so in so many words, it was obvious when none of them would sign up or even say verbally to anyone that they WANTED to go. The trip was cancelled.

 

In your Yellowstone scenario, and ours, if the boys don't realize what they are getting into - I'm sure at least SOME parents would object.

 

the saddest thing is, with the dissention between the adults in our troop - there was not time to go back to the caving trip or plan another trip. NOBODY got ANYTHING they wanted. it was a lose / lose situation caused by Adults.

 

some swift thinking boys in my son's patrol asked if they could do a patrol outing and did a lock-in in the church. They worked on advancements for a few hours, ordered Pizza, stayed up until 2 AM and had a great time.

 

Yaworski gave me a quote I find appropriate for all these adult "control" issues in scouting. I remind myself of it everytime I or anyone else wants to take over for the boys...

 

"Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."

-Daniel Webster

 

 

[denver4und@aol.com]

I don't usually go "all legal" on everyone, but Bob White is, I think, just wrong on this one.

 

Look at the Troop Committee Guidebook (Pub. 34505B, copyright 1998, BSA).

 

Page 13, Chapter entitled "Troop Committee Organization and Responsibilities". There is a list of 12 items there, and each is the responsibility of the "committee", not the Chairman. Moreover, the chapter begins with the words: "The troop committee is the troop's board of directors...." I'll bet AT&T will be surprised to learn that their directors get no vote!

 

But look at page 14 and beyond in the chapter. There is a section for each member of the committee, beginning with the Chair. The chairs duties are listed, and not once is there a reference to the Chair making any decision or overruling anyone.

 

Also, the duties of each other member of the committee are listed. Repeatedly, it says that the committee member in that area "reports to the Troop Committee". It never says, not once, any language to the effect of a committee member "reports to the Committee chair."

 

Finally, turn to page 33, the Chapter entitled "Troop Committee Meetings". The introduction makes clear that the "Scoutmaster is not actually a member of the troop committee, and has no vote." Has no vote. Somebody else has a vote. Who? The Committee members.

 

Scouting is not a dictatorship. PLC's run by voting. SPL's are elected by voting. Troop Committee's are not run by the Chair with no voice by the rest, or as one poster said "you won't need a committee, you just need the chair."

 

Sorry, Bob, but this time you blew it.

 

YIS