A Possible bucket of worms

[mrobinson]

Greetings all.

 

I am a new registered member to the forum so please bear with me.

 

I was recently appointed Unit Commissioner by my local council and assigned to the same troop I have been active with for the past year. My question is 2 parted

 

1) Should I be working with the same troop my 2 boys are active with? One of my sons is ASPL and I am an active adult leader.

 

2) Chances are, when the scoutmaster leaves at the end of the year I will be tapped to replace him.

 

Personally I think I have too much of a conflict of interest but the DE sees no problem and views this circumstance as an asset.

 

I really need some advise from the masses.

 

Mike

[SemperParatus]

Welcome.

 

Your concerns about it being a conflict of interest is right on target. Ask that you be reassigned to a different unit.

[scoutldr]

Welcome to the forums, Mike!

 

This is, I think, a local Council decision, however in my neck of the woods, Commissioners don't "Commission" for their own units. You are correct, it is an awkward situation to be in, especially if there are unit disputes that you may be called upon to mediate. Go with your gut and ask to be reassigned. Also, if you are going to be SM, my opinion is that you will not have time to do both jobs well.

 

In fact, I recently heard through the grapevine that our Council Executive Board has decreed that Unit Commissioners may not also be dual registered with a Unit, which is going to put our meager Commissioner Corps in the "hurt locker".(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

[Lisabob]

From a purely pragmatic standpoint: It isn't your DE that has to do the job, it is you. So if you are uncomfortable about your ability to do both jobs well, then you absolutely should ask to be re-assigned. Don't forget you're a volunteer and that gives you a right to say "no" in situations like this one.

 

Lisa'bob

A good old bobwhite too!

[baden]

You should not be the Unit Commissioner for your own unit. This is a case of a DE getting a name in a slot. Happens all the time. Most professionals are under pressure to fill District rosters and Commissioner roles. It often doesn't matter what is being provided for Unit service as long as the ratios on paper look good.

 

Your DE should not be recruiting Commissioners. In an ideal world your District Commissioner should be doing this. This is probably the primary role of the DC.

 

I pulled a 4 year hitch as District Commissioner in the '90's. I spent a lot of time recruiting. I have no brilliant solution for the process. I combed old charters for names, Eagle Scout lists, current charters, worked Roundtables, Camporees, and training events. Had some luck at all places, but there is no Mother load of Commissioners. You find them one at a time and they are all different. One place I would never touch was Scoutmasters. ASM's, Cubmasters, Den Leaders, Unit Committee members, District Committee members were all fair game, but if a SM is doing his job, he has no time for another unit. I felt any time a SM put into Commissioner or District work was stealing from his boys. When I became SM I resigned all other Scout duties.

[mrobinson]

I agree, SM and UC both require a lot of time and I have no intention of holding both offices.

 

I currently hold no office with the troop (As a matter of fact, the only office in our troop presently is SM, There is no troop committee which is the first major problem)

 

I appreciate all the feedback, keep it coming.

 

Mike

[purcelce]

Take the advise of all the sages here.

 

Do not be a UC for the unit you are attached to.

Ask for reassignment now.

 

Also it's not the DE's job to be finding UC's, that's the ADC and DC's job.

 

 

[Lynda J]

Our district will not allow a Unit Commissioner to work with their own Unit. There may be times you will have to "step on peoples toes" and you should not be put in a postion of having to do that within your own unit.

I am a Unit Commissioner and even though the Pack I moved up from is having major problem I would not want to work with them. It could have a adverse affect on the relationship with the troop.

 

I would talk to your District Commissioner and ask to be assigned to a different unit.