Seceding from the Council

[baden]

OK. It's not that dramatic. I received a call from a Scouter pal a couple of days ago asking if I had heard anything about his District being absorbed by an adjacent District. I told him I hadn't heard anything about it, but I had a Council Exec. Bd. meeting in a couple of days and I would see what I could learn. When I got to the meeting, it was an agenda item. All that was said in the meeting was "We are looking at ways to re-align our Districts to improve Unit Service". I used to be in this District until the most recent re-alignment 3 years ago when I was traded to another District for a rusty dutch oven and a Webelo to be named later. After the meeting the Director of Field service came up and asked if I would serve on a committee to study the issue and make a recommendation. I agreed although I think the decision has been made and I am being recruited to help sell it. I have no problem with this. It may be the right move. I don't know enough about the situation at this time to have an opinion.My friend asked when he called if it would be possible for a portion of his District to transfer to an adjacent Council?The part of this District he lives in is right next to the next Council. He lives 70 miles from the adjacent Council HQ and 130 mi. from our Council HQ. He is 80 mi. from their Council Camp and 170 mi. from our Council Camp. In fact his Troop often goes to the nearer Camp for Summer Camp, but not every year. I asked our Scout Exec. if this was something to consider and was told "No way, that is not an option".Do the affected Units have any redress?

[LongHaul]

RE-Charter with a Co in the adjacent Council. Your Council affiliation is determined by where your CO is not where your unit meets. LongHaul

[Gold Winger]

Everyone has to be closer to someplace than they are someplace else.

 

There are Americans who are closer ot Ottowa than Washington but I don't think that they want to secede and join Canada.

 

 

[baden]

You make a valid point Goldwinger. It is easy for me to agree with you, but I'm not driving 130 miles (260 round trip) to attend Council functions or go to the Scout shop.

[Oak Tree]

He could probably just go ahead and act like he was part of the other council for most purposes.

[Bob White]

Many, many, scouters do not understand what a district is. The council is the legal entity. It is a registered not-for-profit corporation and the legal owner of all council properties and assets. A district is simply a series of lines on a map used to create smaller geographic areas for the convenience of the council staff to manage and serve. That last line is important...for the convenience of the council staff to manage and serve. That includes the professional and volunteer staff.

 

This is why we wear a Council identification on our uniform not a district. The district is just a big sub-committee of the council.

 

No, units have no say over the district service area, The lines normally are drawn along school district lines, which is which why if your locals schools go throgh a reditrsicting often times the district lines change. Sometimes they follow county lines. Often councils try to keep a balanced number of units between districts.

District boundaries are determined by the council executive board.

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[John-in-KC]

BW hasn't seen this thread.... nor has he been to my Council lately...

 

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=177659

 

Of course, beyond District patches, we wear our Mic-o-Say and OA lanyards with our Class A and B uniforms too We even give guidance of "what right looks like" for these lanyards on the Council website

 

When I re-set my Venturing uniform for the new Crew EagleSon is in, I guess I'll have my home District patch (North Star) in the temporary position, and my unit's District patch (Northern Tier) below the Venturing BSA patch on the right sleeve....

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Baden, I'd have the IH ask the DE and SE out for a long cup of coffee. Have those Professionals take some heat for the quality of service rendered by the Council under the Charter Agreement.

 

Even better, money talks. If the Chartered Partners and the area businesses in the FOS Family and Community Campaigns are high dollar givers, and they tell the SE they're thinking of sending their money elsewhere, they'll get attention.

 

They call me Mr Cynical...

[Bob White]

Suggesting to the local businesss and FOS donors that if the district lines would no lomger benefit their community would be untruthful. The money from FOS always goes to the council, to use throught the Council re-organizing districts would not change that.

 

Districts are service areas on a map and have no assets, no legal standing, no authority attached to them. To become emotionally attached to them is silly.

 

 

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Vicki]

BW wrote, "To become emotionally attached to them is silly"

 

In principle I can see your point, being one of those folks who seems to be getting involved in council-type activities (NYLT, WB staff).

 

But, still being pretty close to the district level in terms of my troop involvement (two districts, actually, as #1 and #2 son are in two troops) I can tell you that there is a very different "feel" to districts. Not to mention that the district level is where the action happens in terms of camporees, adult leader training (not including WB, obviously), etc. So I would hope that people would get emotionally involved with their district. Without program and passion at troop and district level, that council-level stuff is just so much bureaucracy, there to feed off of itself.

 

That said, no, you really don't get to vote which district you're going to be in, any more than you get to vote which school district you're going to be in - other than trying to influence the situation one way or the other.

 

Vicki