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possible fee increase coming


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9 minutes ago, walk in the woods said:

With all due respect to National I call BS.  The increased insurance cost isn't a surprise nor is the departure of LDS.  This decision should have been made and announced months ago so units could plan and be honest with their parents.  Instead they wait until after fall recruiting is done?

Excellent points.  I think the reason is twofold.   Things have gone from bad to worse.  Also, I think the management style at Irving TX isn't very efficient on any given day, and even less so in a crisis. 

Edited by desertrat77
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1 hour ago, Eagle1993 said:

Last time they raised fees, they let us know early Sept.  That was late but at least before recruiting.  Why do they need to wait until Oct 23?  This doesn’t make sense at all unless they are considering other options.   

In my council the school night fliers had already been printed the last time.  To their credit the council ate the extra costs.

  Our school nights signed kids up for 16 months in previous years. Should have suspected something was up when this year we only signed kids up for 4 months.

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This was posted to council facebook page 10 minutes ago.

"I want to make you aware that late yesterday we were informed that the National Council, Boy Scouts of America, is considering a fee increase for 2020. While the fee increase would be effective beginning this recharter process, unfortunately, the amount of any increase will not be known until approximately November 1, 2019.

We recognize the timing on this likely fee increase creates challenges as units have already begun communicating and collecting fees ...for their 2020 registration renewal process. As soon as we know more, we will share it.

As the father of three Scouts, an active parent in all of their units and a registered leader myself, I appreciate concerns and ask for your patience while we work through this together.

Finally, please be assured that finances will never be a barrier to membership for our families. Our council is proud to provide registration assistance to those in need. Information will be shared in follow up communication.

Thank you again for your commitment to delivering the life-changing programs of Scouting to the youth and families we serve and those who will soon join our ranks!"

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31 minutes ago, RememberSchiff said:

Mentioned in news release, BSA Registration Assistance Fund. I found this form. 

https://247scouting.com/web/BSA160/attachment/document_14370746730_1259.pdf

 

 

It's great that this is available, but it does nothing to help the vast majority of Scouts coming from middle class. These families are not considered "low-income", but certainly don't have a spare $1,000/year to throw at BSA; and the families that do, have higher things on their priority list.  

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Last fee increase was $9.  Not that we allow gambling, but if we did, I’d place a large wager on the over.   

Delaying an announcement of a fee increase until Nov makes no sense.  Pull the board together tonight and vote on it.  If the internal debate is between a massive fee increase and bankruptcy then declare bankruptcy.  No fee increases will cover the massive lawsuits on top of our current tenuous financial situation.  Laying the financial burden of the failures of the past on the backs of parents of your current membership is wrong.  Fees are a small part of the total cost of the program... I know there are fundraisers, but there are limits.

Now, if this is a small increase, get over with it and let us know now.  

 

 

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4 hours ago, Eagle1993 said:

Last fee increase was $9.  Not that we allow gambling, but if we did, I’d place a large wager on the over.   

Delaying an announcement of a fee increase until Nov makes no sense.  Pull the board together tonight and vote on it.  If the internal debate is between a massive fee increase and bankruptcy then declare bankruptcy.  No fee increases will cover the massive lawsuits on top of our current tenuous financial situation.  Laying the financial burden of the failures of the past on the backs of parents of your current membership is wrong.  Fees are a small part of the total cost of the program... I know there are fundraisers, but there are limits.

Now, if this is a small increase, get over with it and let us know now.  

 

 

I agree.  They have already had their national meeting in Texas so what's the delay? We knew last year LDS was leaving.  Hitting units to tell parents that Scouting will now cost more than they were originally told looks pretty crappy and breeds distrust and for those families who maybe waffling on whether to stay at the end of the year, just go ahead and leave and don't re-charter unlikely to ever return because we didn't tell them the right fee amounts.

When I was a membership chair, it drove me nuts that council would always be like  "Whoo hoo!  Look at our fantastic membership #'s!"  but the reality was that those #'s you have in September/October are no where near there come February/March when all of the re-charters are in and then the hand slapping begins about needing to get #'s up.  Those #'s are never reliable.   Maybe we should have 6 month charters. :unsure:Then we know where we stand more than once a year.   It would be a nightmare at the council registrars office but hey then you know what you really are working with.

Councils keep seemingly pumping out more and more exciting things at camps like ATV & Zip line programs that cost a lot of money & higher insurance costs.   Pretty sure boys were signing up for scouting years and years before the ATV's and zip lines came along.   Lets get back to basics and provide the program that was working.   If your council finds our that they have the money for those programs without having to pass on those costs to the parents, then fantastic but the one up manship amongst camps is almost hurting all of us as whole.  

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53 minutes ago, JasonG172 said:

Wonder when the top execs take a cut? 

Don't know. But a retired Pro told me that national let go 38 people from the national office last month.

Regarding the increase in registration and last minute notice,  from the phone conversation I had earlier today, a lot of council pros are ticked off and are bugging the heck out of national about it. The tone I got is that it has ticked a lot of folks council execs off because they have already started their recruiting, and now are informed of a registration increase, when folks already paid for 2020 with their roundup fee. 

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1 hour ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Regarding the increase in registration and last minute notice,  from the phone conversation I had earlier today, a lot of council pros are ticked off and are bugging the heck out of national about it. The tone I got is that it has ticked a lot of folks council execs off because they have already started their recruiting, and now are informed of a registration increase, when folks already paid for 2020 with their roundup fee. 

Rather rightfully so. Our recruitment season is almost over here and we will have to go back to everyone and say sorry, but we'll need some extra fees this year.

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