Chicago Area Council update

[jkhny]

"The Illinois Appellate Court yesterday set the Council's motion for a stay pending appeal and our motion to dismiss the appeal for oral argument on next Thursday, April 20 at 11:00 a.m. in the 16th floor courtroom. So it looks like we will get a ruling on the stay before the vote is scheduled to take place at 6:30 that evening. As with the proceedings before Judge Agran, this hearing is open to the public and folks should be encouraged to attend. "

 

So, why does BSA keep fighting AGAINST having a vote on a slate that volunteers might actually approve (after they voted down the hand-picked slate TWICE). Where's that "representative Democracy" BSA touts? Seems like its a great "concept" unless volunteers manage to put it into practice.

 

 

[evmori]

I really hate to ask but what case are you refering to?

[SR540Beaver]

Where's that "representative Democracy" BSA touts?

 

Can you point me to the BSA publication(s) that reference this?

[LongHaul]

Ed,

The case jkhny is referring to has been discussed in detail in the council relations section. The executive Board of Chicago Area Council has for all intents and purposes subverted the local bylaws and voted themselves "Executive Board for Life". They have amended the bylaws, without COR or MAL approval, to allow the executive Board to re-elect itself. The Executive Board has not been elected by the COR and MAL voters since 2003. Eleven dedicated Scouters saw the need to file suit to return control to the voters, so to speak. Hearings have been on going for about 6 months and an Election was ordered by Judge Martin Agran to be held Thursday April 20. The Executive Board has challenged this ruling with an appeal filed in the Appellate Court that hearing to be held Thursday April 20 at 11:00 am. Which means the CORs and MALs will have to plan on attending a meeting at 6pm to vote on the proposed slate BUT that vote may be stayed by an Appellate ruling that same morning. It's really a shame that this is being allowed to happen within the BSA.

LongHaul

P.S. The Democratic Process my not be in a BSA publication for Leaders but it is part of the standard set of Council by laws which Chicago Area Councils Board has been found to be in violation of.

(This message has been edited by LongHaul)

[evmori]

Thanks Longhaul. Thought I missed something.

[jr56]

This may be a stupid question, but if this Council Executive Board has really violated procedure this blatently, where is National?

Or is this what everybody else is asking too?

[LongHaul]

Jr56,

This has been an ongoing struggle since CAC hired a new SE. In case you dont know the SE has to be selected from a list National provides. The first thing our new SE did was to form a committee to study the "need" for CAC to own real estate for camping purposes. The second thing he did was to re district the entire Council. All the old established district committees and groups were broken up and realigned. While the new districts were shaking hands and getting to know who was who and repopulating all the District committees and Commissioner Staffs our camps were listed for sale. One camp was sold and the other is sold pending rezoning. (See Council Relations :Goodbye Owasippe) Next all the profesional staff were either dismissed or reasigned. Almost all of CAC's profesional staff is entry level. They do not understand the needs of our members and the program to be delivered. Those with scouting experience are so over loaded they are infear of their jobs. The Executive Board controlled the nominating committee so the people predisposed to selling the camps were kept on the board. The result was a total division of the volunteer base along lines of pro sale, anti sale, and apathy. Council program ground to a halt as did council run training. National was contacted and we were told it was a local matter to be decided by our Executive Board. The volunteers got the vote out and voted down the slate proposed by the Board. The Board promptly re wrote the by laws allowing the Board the right to approve the slate if it is voted down by the CORs and MALs TWICE. They slated people unacceptable to the majority of the CORs and MALs and refused to alter the slate when it was voted down a second time the Executive Board approved the slate and have not had an election approved by the CORs or MALs in 3 years. When a compromise was reached as to who was to make up the nominating committee a slate was agreed upon but the President refused to accept it. It has taken legal action in civil court to force the Executive Board to follow the by laws. National still maintains that it is a local issue. Should a vote be held and the current Executive Board unseated it will be interesting to see if it remains a local issue when attempts to sell our remaining camp are revisited by the new Board and monies made form the sale of our local camp are targeted for use to save Owasippe, our one remaining camp. The impression many of us in CAC have from National is that National wants to do away with traditional scouting in the larger urban areas and focus on Cub Scouts, Venturing, Exploring and concentrate on the LFL program. Numbers, without Council programs, with limited advancement records, and smaller support staffs. Its a business decision.

LongHaul (This message has been edited by LongHaul)

[jr56]

Thanks for the explanation. What a mess. Sure hope you folks can make some progress with the courts, since nothing else seems to be working.