I want to send a message to this Council.

[Eamonn]

Sometime back I went to lunch with our Scout Executive. I have to admit that I do like him and like to think that the two of us get along. I have at meetings disagreed with him and some things that he has tried to do and some things that he has done. However, I believe that what happens at a meeting even when I don't "Win" is done and we need to move on. A lot of times we will go for some tea!! maybe say a few closing words on what went on at the meeting and it's over with.

While we were munching on our cheese cake I asked him if he could stop having the finances and the Financial page of our Council newspaper from always being the first page. I said how as most of the people who received the paper were involved in program, that we should have anything but finances as page one.

He was using a lot of the Good Turn For America material as part of his Wood Badge ticket, so the next Council newspaper had that on the front page.

I hear the moans and groans from people. Some are 100% legitimate, some are based on information that is wrong and sad too say there are some people who aren't happy unless they are moaning and groaning.

I have never been employed by the BSA and have never been a Scout Executive. I know that in the past eight years, the time I have served on our Council Executive Board, both the Scout Executive and the one before him have always made time for me. Both have always returned my phone calls, both if they were not in a meeting have met with me even though I didn't make an appointment. In fact the times I have asked for an appointment they have called to ask "What's up?"

I don't think that I am in any special, but I do think if I had a job where I served at the pleasure of a board, I wouldn't go out of my way to upset the board members.

At this time I sit on the board because I serve as a District Chairman. I have made it my business to know what is going on in the District. I receive reports on just about everything that is going on in the District. The District Commissioner informs me about how each and every unit is doing and what problems they might have as well as what successes they are having.

I really want the District to do well and shine.I don't believe in telling lies and I'm not big on not telling people things that will effect them.

If a volunteer in the District has a question and I know the answer all they have to do is ask.

If they are upset, they can tell me. However this isn't the best method of getting a result of some kind. If you stop me in the street and tell me that you are upset about something, you are allowing me to use my judgment, which may not be always good. I am lightly to not remember, so all that has happened is that I have allowed you to vent.

If you have the COR attend the District meeting, the problem will be discussed and will be in the minutes of the meeting. I then have to bring this to the attention of people who can look at the problem and who will report back to me and I then will report back to the District Committee.It may not be the answer that you want to hear or like but your message was sent and you do have an answer.

Some people feel that they can send a message by holding back on FOS or by not supporting the Council. When they do this they are hurting the most important people in Scouting, our youth members.

Some people think that the grass is greener in the Council next door. I know that I can look at the big metro council next door and see that they might be doing some things better than we are in our tiny Council, but when I talk to the people from there they are looking at us and the things we do better. We also serve the communities in which we live and where our Scouts live.

It is a shame that we do have in just about every Council a hard core bunch who just love spreading doom and gloom. Most of the time this bunch use rumors too fuel what are at best half truths and even when they are handed the real truth, they will change their argument. I now take plenty of NO notice of this group,because I know that there is no way of making them happy.

Communication is a leadership skill, listening plays a big part in communicating. We do have a system that can and will work. But only if we use it.

Eamonn.

[scoutldr]

Sorry if I'm dense this morning, Eamonn. That was a lot of words. So what is your message to the Council?

[FScouter]

What I got from this was a lamentation that some persons attempt to "send a message" to the council about their displeasure by withholding their financial support. There are better ways to communicate.

[evmori]

There might be better ways but very few are as effective.

[dsteele]

Has anyone else noticed that the people who are the first to get upset and threaten to not support the council financially are the same people who don't give much to FOS (If at all)or sell much in popcorn or attend the council camp?

 

I remember the first guy who told me he wouldn't give to FOS because he didn't like the way the Executive Board voted to do something or other. I took $25.00 out of my wallet, put it in an envelope and wrote "Anonymous FOS contribution" on it. That increased the "withheld gift" by 20%.

 

Unc.

[Eamonn]

I can see where I have confused everyone!!

I was trying to spin off from LPasn, when he said:

"Of course I really do not want to move but I want to send a message to this Council. If they are in such financial condition that they have to sell camps, maybe they should scale back on the new offices."

Eamonn

[purcelce]

Here's a little story that I had a problem with "council" earlier this year. This is a reprint from another post I did earlier this year. I think relates to this post. The funny thing was I made the problem, not council.

 

Last year I gave to scouts til it "hurt".

 

I did about 14 FOS presentations and worked the phones for donations.

Was Lodge Advisor to the Secretary.

Gave time as UC and Assistant SM.

Was asked to be on Outdoor Leader Training Staff.

Started a new Venturing Crew that took off.

Worked 9 weeks for the council camps as Aquatics director and gave my pay back to the council.

Chaired the District fall camporee and got it going.

District Commissioner asked me to take over an ADC slot and I did.

 

When the district dinner came along in Feb. said to myself, "You should be a shoe in for the District Award of Merit" My name wasn't called and I was in shock. Those who got deserved it, and I congratulated them and left the dinner with a little disappointment and a bad taste in my mouth. When I got home I started looking at some scouting pictures of the past year and saw how much fun the youth had around me. Then I had a "vision". I'm not in Scouting for me; I'm in it for the youth. I started to remember the many youth faces that I touched throughout the year. I remembered some of the lines from the youth: "Thanks for making Lifesaving merit badge fun". "The only reason I come to OA functions is because you make it fun". "I wish you were my Scoutmaster." "I would of drop out of scouts if it wasn't for the awesome time I had at the waterfront." "Give me an application, I want to join your crew."

 

So I didn't get my pat on the back at the dist dinner. I got my pat on the back by seeing how many youth, directly and indirectly; I had an influence (a good influence) on in 2004.

 

[Eamonn]

Great story purcelce,

Thanks for sharing it.

There was a little old fellow in our District, who really was the salt of the earth. He served as Cubmaster for over 30 years, looked after the Webelos Scouts transition. I loved him dearly and respected him to no end.

I nominated him for a Silver Beaver. Our then District Chairman was the District Rep on the Beaver Committee that year.

That year was the first year that we were not keeping it a secret.

The District Chair called me (I was District Commish at the time.) I asked if Frances had got the Beaver, he said that he hadn't. I went into one of my very long orations calling everyone on the committee a twit. He let me rant and rave and then informed me that I had been selected.

When I told Her Who Must Be Obeyed, she informed me that I was too young to receive a Silver Beaver!! I get no respect.

Frances received the Silver Beaver the following year.

Eamonn.

 

[scoutldr]

I was on the District selection committee last year. Some awards went un-awarded because no one took the time to nominate anyone. Some who were nominated did not have enough supporting information...just a name and a unit number. Some got the award because they were the ONLY one nominated.

 

To all who read this...if you know some unsung hero who deserves to be nominated for District Award of Merit, Silver Beaver, Vigil, etc, PLEASE take the time to write a nomination. It never hurts to have the same person nominated by more than one person, but if they are not nominated at all, they will never get considered.

[jkhny]

Our May District Meeting was a revelation. It seems that Executive Board Members were questioned on enrollment numbers recently - not sure of the circumstances. This was after Council leadership made a big deal of "We don't do that here" when the Alabama scandal broke in the media. Sure.

 

Well, the "corrected" report for our District now has dead units gone and enrollment figures are down "substantially." Our unit still was getting membership cards for kids not seen in two years though.

 

One leader did an analysis of past enrollment reports and passed it around. Now, maybe I'm being cynical but when you have a 40% DECREASE between the year end numbers claimed to earn "Quality District" status and the "official" numbers now in May, something stinks. Sure seems like the fraud being reported elsewhere. NO consequences for paid staff behind the goosing of the numbers. Our DE is leaving for a promotion. The "investigation" has been kept super quiet....change the numbers and hope nobody notices. The sad part is that even WITH the "goosed" numbers Council could only claim 1% "growth." I wonder what the truth is and if they'll restate Council claims. It's clear that the year end numbers weren't "accurate." We're not even close to the enrollments we had 5 years back.

 

A report on FOS status showed three of five Districts reporting $0 under "leadership" contributions with minimal contributions in one of the remaining two. One District shows higher contributions but most is due to a few large givers. This follows last year's pattern. Unit leaders are fed up with our SE and Executive Board and are simply not giving.

 

District and Council positions are going unfilled and events "unrun." Well, positions ARE being filled - in name only with people we've never heard of or old Socuters not seen for a decade. Our Pinewood runoff had a pathetic 19 kids instead of the usual 80-100. No volunteers would run the event.

 

Are kids being hurt by all this? Yes. But the best volunteers we have are truly fed up and feel that letting this all continue is doing far worse damage to Scouting here.

 

Senior volunteer leaders complained to National about our SE shortly after he arrived. He has pushed any opponents off the Executive Board. He's puttin in his own people and setting 2 year limits so nobody will be around long enough to see what's happening. He's put his own people in volunteer leadership positions. Don't even try to complain - you'll get your head chopped off. People who have given years to Scouting have been hurt and pushed away from Scouting.

 

Things are falling apart and everyone knows it but nothing is being done. An effort to organize COR's to oust the SE failed - few expected it to succeed but the SE took great pains to make sure it wouldn't work......it's all quite sad actually. Volunteers have walked away from District and Council and more than a few are thinking about leaving even unit leadership posts.

 

Two of the four Silver Beaver awards this year went to short serving Board Members, further angering Scouters who've been involved for years or even decades.

 

What DOES it take to get rid of a bad SE?

 

When will BSA realize that they are their own worst enemy?

Covering up the misdeeds and poor performance of their own paid staffers does more damage to BSA than anything else. The PAID staff are the ones behind all the enrollment scandals. Volunteers see the hypocrisy. We're punished for expecting paid staff to show some character.

 

This Council HAS been sent a loud and clear message in many ways. Volunteers by the hundreds protested the removal of a paid staffer. A hundred showed up at a Board Meeting to air their complaints only to have the Board literally run away. Volunteers are no longer supporting Council with time or money. Numbers are down despite being "goosed."

 

Some here have questioned why I'm complaining. Am I supposed to stand by idly while a program I care about, a program I and others worked so hard to build is destroyed by someone who simply cannot do his job?

 

 

And all this happened before at our SE's previous Council. From this forum's own archives:

 

Re: Friends of Scouting (FOS). No longer participating

Ed Henderson (BigEdBSA@AOL.COM)

Mon, 20 Jan 1997 15:37:07 -0500

 

For years I have been not only an active council, district and unit volunteer

but also a participant in our council's fund raising program. I have not

only contributed to SME and now FOS but was on the team that raised the money

in our district (and made our goal each of the last three years). I even

made a $500 donation a few years ago to a special account I set up to pay for

non mandatory camp staff training (Nature Directors, Red Cross Training,

etc.). Last year I wanted to recognize my father for his 35 years of service

to Scouting and made a West Donation to our council.

 

 

This year I made a difficult decision and have planned to not contribute a

dime to Flint River Council, sell a kernel of popcorn, and I have not yet

decided about the Scout Show tickets set for next month. The reason is our

new Scout Executive. He has alienated more volunteers in our council since

arriving than I could imagine possible. Our JLT Scoutleader for the past

several years refuses to have anything more to do with the council and many

volunteers are put off. Over half of the professional staff departed in the

first few months after our SE arrived, and everyone of them were pleased to

have landed a transfer. Even simple letters, kindly writtten from one of our

older Explorer Posts to our SE asking that we establish the Spuregon Awards

in our council was ignored and not responded too.

 

 

In short, I am perfectly willing to donate to my council when I judge my

council worthy of that money. Since I still support Scouting I will donate

my funds to other causes either at the unit level or perhaps to NESA

Scholarships or some other national fund. Until our 33 year old Scout

Executive gets promoted to head of Supply Division (maybe he can fix their

crashed computers) or some desk job in Texas I will do nothing to sustain

him.

 

 

 

 

[Eamonn]

jkhny

20 posts full of nothing but doom and gloom.

Ten months of moaning and groaning.

As someone who sits on an Area Committee, if a Council was in as sad a state as the picture you paint of the Council you serve?

I am 100% certain that the Area President (A volunteer) The Area Vice President (A volunteer)and the Area Director (A pro.) Would be meeting with all the members of your council key3.

The council would be close if not already at facing a Provisional Charter.

So please give it a rest.

Eamonn.

[Scout Commish]

Do not be so sure that the Area folks would be concerned. I am familiar with one situation where the Area/Region folks stood by and watched because their agenda included merging the council. The local volunteers were clueless up until the end. A provisional charter was never given. Unfortunately, the SE did alot of damage during his time in the job.

 

I agree that in the long run, the Area Director will get involved, but that is only after several years. And most volunteers will find something else to do while waiting.

 

You and I are also experienced enough to know that the quality of Area Directors and Area Presidents vary considerably. I recall one Area President whose hand I was afraid to shake for fear that I might break it. This was after I was tempted to hold a mirror to his face to see if he was actually still alive.

 

Bottom line is that the only way that an SE can be removed is through the board. And the only way to influence a stacked board is by organizing the CORs. I wonder if a COR can send in his vote by proxy?

 

I am thankful that most of the Scout Executives I've known have been true professionals and good people. It would just be nice if the BSA acted quicker on the bad ones.