DE has had enough

[Crossramwedge]

Just heard our DE is resigning his position. Nice guy. Not a Scouter, but did the best job he could. Our last 2 DE's had not been involved in scouting before they took the position. Both where college graduates in their mid 30's. They tried and to be honest with you there is no way I would become a DE. Not enough pay for the position to warrant the pressure put upon you. If you have a District committee that does not do its job, then I believe the DE can not do their jobs. How about it former DE's ?

[Second Class]

Hard to blame him. The pressure on DE's for unit creation, numbers of scouts, FOS, popcorn sales,, etc.

A sane person wouldn't take the job.

[Kahuna]

I was a DE during Boypower '76. Member and unit goals were imposed from the top down and were impossible to meet. That's why 13 councils were caught making up paper units. And we still had to raise money and do the other stuff. It's almost as bad now, although number goals are more realistic, fund raising is worse and district committees around here don't seem to be doing much to help the DEs. I wouldn't do it again.

[qwazse]

Hard job, long hours, little reward, that's the bottom line for most former DE's who I know.

 

Even if you butt heads with your DE, show them a little respect and write them a note or give them a thank you for the work they do put in.

 

Charlei

[Eagle92]

#1 MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL!

 

#2 Former pro here. Long hours, low pay, and sometimes the money and membership goals are unrealistic. Had a "discussion" with my boss about a previous DE and his recruiting methods. Also kinda ticked me off that I was expected to start Exploring, and later Venturing units, but the Exploring/Venturing exec was going to get the credit.

 

Long hours is an understatement. Gone on most nites and several weekends a month. I got calls at all times. Best wedding gift was that the volunteers were not going to call me from 9:30PM to 7:00AM for the first year of marriage. But the job was so much of a pain, wife gave me an ultimatum after 2 months of marriage: her or the job.

 

As for pay, I had friends who when they left doubled, and in one case tripled, their pay. I know of several ex-DEs who had been recruited by key folks in their districts to work for them, including the DE we lost last Friday. Don't know if he went to work for a volunteer, or if they resigned him to another district (the word has not gone out officially that the council had a district merger, and when I asked about it on a message board, the message was deleted by I moderator I presume).