Chapter 11 announced

[HashTagScouts]

Concerns on fee increase: families are going to have a tough time with increases to annual membership fees, though it seems likely it will go up.  I am more concerned that National is going to think they can raise the Chartering fee, and assume that that fee is paid by the CO each year (for us, nope- it is coming from our bank account, and I see that as the norm in our area).

Assets: I would argue that as lovely and wonderful as Philmont, Sea Base, Summit are, they are not essential for program delivery.  We made do without them, and sooo few Scouts ever actually visit them.  The problem is they are so mortgaged to the hilt at the moment, their actual value is diminished- but, I would at least get ourselves prepared they could be gone before the BSA comes out of this Chapter 11.  If the issue is to sacrifice those to save local council assets, sign me up.

 

 

 

[Jackdaws]

1 minute ago, MikeS72 said:

Council may choose (and most probably will) to set a council program/activity fee.  That fee may not exceed the $60 national registration fee.  We have been told that as part of the recent increase, that there would be no more last minute changes to the fee structure.  Any changes must be announced early, nothing to come after May.

Yes I read that between the lines in October and warned our troop to expect that to possibly happen.   If the lawsuits attempt to go after local councils, they will want to strengthen their war chest so to speak. 

 

 

[an_old_DC]

Anybody know if chartered orgs are being named in lawsuits as well? I would imagine so but do not know.

[David CO]

15 minutes ago, MikeS72 said:

Councils may choose (and most probably will) to set a council program/activity fee.  

Does anyone actually believe this is a program/activity fee?  It is a legal fee.  It is a bankruptcy fee.  This money isn't going to go for programs and activities.  This is a classic example of BSA's dishonesty.

Edited February 18, 2020 by David CO

[desertrat77]

1 minute ago, David CO said:

Does anyone actually believe this is an program/activity fee?  It is a legal fee.  It is a bankruptcy fee.  This money isn't going to go for programs and activities.  This is a classic example of BSA's dishonesty.

Legal fees and new chairs in the council conference room....

[John-in-KC]

Here’s my question

Can the National Council earn Journey to Excellence Gold while its in chapter 11?
🤪😜🤣😂😳😱🤦‍♂️

[Beccachap]

17 minutes ago, MikeS72 said:

Councils may choose (and most probably will) to set a council program/activity fee.  That fee may not exceed the $60 national registration fee.  We have been told that as part of the recent increase, there would be no more last minute changes to the fee structure.  Any changes must be announced early, nothing to come after May.

I'll be all sorts of bitter if my dysfunctional council that we've all but eliminated from our lives demands a fee from us next year. Do we have to charter with the council in our zip code, or can we charter with any council? 

 

 

[dkurtenbach]

1 hour ago, Jameson76 said:

The optics are going to be the hard part.  The group that BSA needs to sell (and continue to sell) is the new families that traditionally join as Cubs.  Those of us in units that are functioning, this is sort of a non-event

How do we (BSA as a whole) bring in new Scouts (Cubs / Scouts BSA / Etc) when the families not invested in the BSA see the Bankruptcy of the Boy Scouts and the driving reason for Chapter 11 is sex abuse cases.  That is going to be a hard sell....just saying

However strong our current youth protection program is, we still have three weak links:  the overwhelming predominance of volunteers operating in highly autonomous units, who are certified to work closely with youth of all ages after taking a two hour internet course.  To provide assurances to parents that Scouting is no longer the horror story they have been hearing about, and that it is as safe as their neighborhood schools, one or more of those weak links may have to be replaced.

[desertrat77]

3 minutes ago, John-in-KC said:

Here’s my question

Can the National Council earn Journey to Excellence Gold while its in chapter 11?
🤪😜🤣😂😳😱🤦‍♂️

John, no doubt they are a JTE Gold team!  A special commemorative patch should be made for this occasion!

[Jameson76]

15 minutes ago, desertrat77 said:

Legal fees and new chairs in the council conference room....

Well...you want to be comfy during the long lunches with the attorneys.  You cannot put a price on that

[MikeS72]

4 minutes ago, David CO said:

Does anyone actually believe this is an program/activity fee?  It is a legal fee.  It is a bankruptcy fee.  This money isn't going to go for programs and activities.  This is a classic example of BSA's dishonesty.

While I certainly cannot say what other councils may or may not do, I can speak to what we are doing in my own.

We spent quite a while at our recent leadership summit discussing what at the time was the upcoming chapter 11 filing, along with an explanation from our CE concerning the application of a council program fee for the 2021 re-charter year.  We have written lists of what that fee will do for us and our families.  Just as few of those benefits families will see include:

No cost to scouts and families to attend district Cub family camp; no cost for scouts and leaders to attend district camporees; no cost for leaders to attend BALOO or IOLS training; no cost to attend University of Scouting; other possibilities are being looked at as to how we can better serve the scouts in our council.

I mentioned a few days ago that I am fortunate to be in the council I am a part of, and the more I read some of the comments here, the more true that statement becomes.

[carebear3895]

21 minutes ago, David CO said:

Does anyone actually believe this is a program/activity fee?  It is a legal fee.  It is a bankruptcy fee.  This money isn't going to go for programs and activities.  This is a classic example of BSA's dishonesty.

Except that it's not. A program fee is strictly a council fee, none of that goes to the National Council. Program fee's usually come when FOS starts to dry up. Got to keep the lights on somehow. 

Please, stop pushing hysteria and false information. A Scout is trustworthy, sir. 

[Jameson76]

32 minutes ago, HashTagScouts said:

Assets: I would argue that as lovely and wonderful as.....Summit is are, they  it is are not essential for program delivery.  We made do without it them, and sooo few Scouts ever actually want to visit it them.  

First - rarely hear Summit / Lovely / Wonderful all in the same sentence...😀

That may be the one that BSA can kick to the curb and there will be little angst among the minions.  You pour $750,000,000 into a BSA National Vanity project, you sort of reap what you sow. 

You lose Philmont, you've lost the legacy of 80 + years of multi-generational High Adventure.  That would be a gut punch to the organization

[David CO]

10 minutes ago, carebear3895 said:

A Scout is trustworthy, sir. 

A scout is trustworthy, but a scout executive is not.  That is why BSA is in bankruptcy. 

[ParkMan]

23 minutes ago, David CO said:

Does anyone actually believe this is a program/activity fee?  It is a legal fee.  It is a bankruptcy fee.  This money isn't going to go for programs and activities.  This is a classic example of BSA's dishonesty.

 

1 minute ago, carebear3895 said:

Except that it's not. A program fee is strictly a council fee, none of that goes to the National Council. Program fee's usually come when FOS starts to dry up. Got to keep the lights on somehow.

Our council has one too.  @carebear3895 is 100% correct - we have it to make ends meet.  Our council does not have fancy buildings or nice office chairs.  It's a pretty frugal non-profit.  We can certainly have a discussion about whether to pay the salaries of professionals - but that's about the level it's at for us.