Lodge Needs Help

[CubsRgr8]

My lodge's executive committee consists of the chief, VCA, VCO, and 20+ standing committees (most of which consist of only one youth chairman and his adult advisor). All committees attend the montly executive committee meeting, while neither the VCO nor VCA have regular meetings. Often, the monthly meeting can't even muster a quorum of the youth, although it's rare for any of the adult advisors to miss one. Also, there are no chapters, although my council has five districts.

 

It seems to me that the current lodge structure benefits the adults while failing to promote OA to the youth. All the adult advisors, and quite a few older adults who no longer serve as advisors, get a monthly meeting with their lodge friends. The youth either chair a committee or don't attend OA meetings. While there are active dance and ceremony teams, there are no social activities for the rest of the OA youth outside of three fixits and the winter banquet. And some adults wonder why youth attendance is so poor.

 

I have some ideas to improve the lodge structure (you knew this was coming).

 

1) Establish chapters aligned with the districts and schedule monthly OA meetings, to run concurrent with each district's roundtable. Chapter meetings include social time (pizza and soda) before moving into business.

2) Each chapter would have a chief and advisor, and have primary responsibility for elections, membership, troop rep program, etc - everything that is unit based (chapter business).

3) Reduce the executive committee membership signficantly - maybe only meet quarterly.

 

What do you think?

[emb021]

Your suggestion on chapters is good. That is how its done in many lodges. Be advised that it WILL take some time to get these chapters up and running. You are putting something in place that really hasn't existed. In some lodges, the chapters are working well and have been for some time. In some lodges, some chapters are working, others are not. Good leadership at the chapter level is a must. Most chapters meet at the same time and place as the monthly district roundtables.

 

As to the LEC, unless its defined in your Bylaws (sorry, Lodge Rules), its not usual for committee chairs to be members of an executive board. The exec board should be your elected officers (C, VCA, VCO, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, Chapter Chiefs) and their advisors. Quorum, btw, is defined by each organization, and should be the number of people who would normally be at a meeting. You never want to set quorum such that you can't met it, because you really can't have a meeting if you don't have quorum.

 

Your VCA and VCO each should be chairing a committee. You don't mention what these 20 some committee do. I find it strange that you would need so many. And if they have only 1 real member, what, if any are they doing?? I would also suggest looking at these committees and seeing if you really need them all or if some can be dropped or merged.

 

As to frequency of meeting, most lodges LECs meet monthly. There is just too much going on to leave a 3 month gap in between.

[John-in-KC]

Most of what emb021 said.

 

Are you a youth member or Adviser?

 

If a youth member, I'd approach the Chief and Vice Chiefs and ask "why so many committees, are we really making progress, or are letting the adults run us?" Let the 3 of them discuss it offline with the Professional staff adviser and the Adviser.

 

If an adult, I'd find some youth who can connect the dots and let him ask the same question...

 

You don't tell us if the Lodge does NOAC, does Section conclave, leadership course, and all the other opportunities for fellowship which are built into the Order's program. Finally, meditate on the first fact that Arrowmen are first to serve their units, then the Lodge.

 

Good hunting here...

[Tokala]

My lodge holds LEC/LEB meetings at least 4x a year. Typically, they are about 1 month prior to a major lodge activity. Attendance by the youth seems to depend on a couple of simple issues: advance notice, a phone call to remind them, and a meeting that actually serves a purpose (to plan).

 

Many times in the OA people believe that since something is on the published calendar that the officers, chairmen, and advisers will attend. The vast majority of these people typically have other Scouting responsibilities and a simple email or phone call to remind them will help increase attendance.

 

Sometimes people don't bother to attend because they have no idea what is the purpose of the meeting. Sending out an agenda with the reminder allows the chairmen and officers to discuss the topics up for discussion with their advisers. If people don't know what is being debated/discussed/decided prior to the meeting, they cannot prepare. If it's a meeting just to meet or because it's "on the calendar" then you'll have a difficult time getting people to attend. So, send out the reminders and agendas and see if that helps.

 

And as John mentioned, our Obligation is to our untis first.

[CubsRgr8]

I was remiss in failing to note that I am an adult advisor, who's disappointed that the lodge isn't more vibrant. In this council, a lot of youth get elected, but few remain active, and I'm brainstorming ways to turn that around. I agree that many of the committees could easily be combined (such as membership and elections). The lodge usually sends a contingent (youth and adult) to section conclaves and NOAC, so it has a presence outside of the council. All in all, I'm enjoying OA, and I appreciate the feedback.

[John-in-KC]

Like I said earlier...

 

Share concerns with the Lodge Adviser. Then, find a LEC member who you think can connect the dots.

 

From that point on, it needs to be up to the youth membership, if we care at all that the Order is youth-operated.

 

ICS John

who was last eligible to vote on OA issues in the summer of 1977...