Seeking Cub Scout Pack By-laws

[tdmunday]

As a fairly new Cub Scout Pack (Unit), I am seeking copies of various Cub Scout Pack By-laws in which to give ideas to be able to produce for our unit. Any help it truly appreciated.

[Dimemaker]

Bylaws are unesessary. Just follow the policies and guidelines of the BSA.

[ScoutNut]

Sorry, we have never needed by-laws.

 

Other than the Cub Scout Promise, and the Law of the Pack, the only thing left you could possibly put in by-laws would be when/where you meet, and what your financial set-up is (dues/fundraising/scout accounts/what families are responsible for paying for/etc).

 

 

[jhankins]

Private message me your email and I'll send you a set of a pack I'm a commissioner for.

[rdclements]

Scout units don't need bylaws, or behavior contracts, or parent rule books, or whatever other names are used. Everything needed is already in the BSA leader books and training. Unit rules just encourage poor adult behavior.

 

-R

[jhankins]

They aren't needed, however, a CO can institute bylaws so that the unit is run according to their wishes and policies.

 

They aren't a bad thing.

[emb021]

"Scout units don't need bylaws, or behavior contracts, or parent rule books, or whatever other names are used. Everything needed is already in the BSA leader books and training."

 

By and large, all true.

 

However, putting down in writing some guidelines (I hate to call them rules) for the parents can be a good idea. Most parents have no idea how things run in a scout troop, aren't going to look at BSA policies, etc, and this can (if done properly) can avoid a lot of headaches down the road.

 

 

"They aren't needed, however, a CO can institute bylaws so that the unit is run according to their wishes and policies.

 

They aren't a bad thing."

 

I would question what the CO is trying to achieve with such 'instituted bylaws'?? A simple document setting down their 'wishes and policies' would be more appropriate then bylaws.

 

Bylaws are there to service a purpose. They are written to give certain information in a certain way. When people don't understand the purpose of them, or go overboard with them, you have problems.

 

I find that too often some people just don't understand what they are really for, and that can be as problematic as bad bylaws.

 

 

 

[tdmunday]

I want to thank you all for your 2-cents (opinions)...BUT...I did not ask for your opinions (we all have them), but just asked for those who do have by-laws, that I might be able to review them/get a copy of them.

 

Thank you again for those who helped me in this area.

[Scoutfish]

I totally and completely disagree!

 

Packs SHOULDN'T need by laws. Everybody SHOULD work just like BSA says they should. All parents SHOULD understand and follow the program.

 

 

People SHOULDN'T rob banks, commit murder or break any law........but they do.

 

And not everybody totally and completely agrees with what BSA says. Not even BSA agrees completely with what BSA says!

 

Anybody who says by laws are unnecessary are fooling themselves. Just look in here: Advancement, adding to requirements, YP, Uniforms...need I go on?

 

So why the By-Laws? To make sure .. in those circumstances...when a Dl decides he has final say on policy or advancement.

 

When a parent DEMANDS something e done because a 9 year old demon totally attcked her precious angel ande demands the pack expell a kid.

 

When a parent does something against BSA guidlines or policies.... and the CM< AC< or DL writes a post in here asking what to do because BSA only "sugests" that a parent loves to stay in line all the time.

 

In the real world, you need by laws to handle that "every now and then " exception parent/adult/ leader/ committee member who is not only on the same page as the program, but might happen to be in another library completely!

 

Is it something to look forward to..having to reference a by law to settle a disagreement? Nope! Sure isn't! But my pack has done that 3 times in the past year because SOMETIMES...that is the ONLY way to get through to somebody. You gave them an answer that ISN'T an opinion or "suggestion".

 

tdmunday:

Good luck! Personally, my pack has very, very few rules or by-laws. It just happens that sometimes, an event happens that makes it necessary to create a by-law to avoid a very unpleasant ( to say it lightly) experience again in the future!

[emb021]

scoutfish- interesting post.

 

But what you don't understand is that bylaws (one word, no hyphen, no space) serve a CERTAIN PURPOSE.

 

Its NOT the purpose of bylaws to set down policies or behavior. Bylaws set down how an organization is organized. And the reason many say they are not needed, is because BSA documents ALREADY do this for units.

 

The standard sections of bylaws include the following:

 

* Name

* Object

* Members

* Officers

* Meetings

* Executive Committee

* Committees

* Parliamentary Authority

* Amendments

 

None of what you pointed out falls under any of these. Hence, they wouldn't go into bylaws. Maybe some kind of 'policies & procedures' or maybe 'acceptable behavior' or the like.

 

 

[Scoutfish]

A bylaw, by-law, or byelaws ( take your pick) is not a single definition word. It has different meanings for different applications.

 

Now, if as you state : " ....is because BSA documents ALREADY do this for units. "

 

Well then...What is the purpose of about 1/8 th of the posts in here? Why are so many posts and threads argues even when it concerns BOLD print policy? Why the arguements with soooo many different answers from so many "expert" scouts?

 

 

Nobody needs by-laws to cover or set the standard for rank advancement - especially a pack. But then again, the original poster did NOT say it was for rank advancement, beltloops or even LNT awards .

 

The poster asked for examples of by-laws.

 

And just like I said, even my pack has some based on the needs as occurances happen. Wether it be a DL who thinks EVERY den expense is justified for reembursement or to who can sign checks and what to do if that checks and balance cannot be followed in case of an emergency situation. Who gets keys to a certain building and whatnot.

 

Mostly, by laws are a set of laws to set inplace the procedure THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED and gives that procedure a authoritive stand.

 

BSA does not cover stuff like that.

 

Look at the swimming. BSA has clear procedures for swimming. De3fined areas clearly marked of by catagory of non swimmer, beginner and swimmer...yet the discussion already degraded to bothering the others people who use the swimming hole. So ....there went that policy and procedure right there in a matter of minutes.

 

Bylaws are what give a policy bite. By-laws are what give the policy authority if it isn't followed, Byelaws are needed just by the fact of every post in here when somebody asks: "WHat can we do about...." And the answer usually has a "Well, you can hope or try..." answer.

 

Without by-laws, you can hope all day long. With by-laws, you have firm grounds to stand on and either cause to correct the action in question...or remove the person participating or causing the action!

 

 

Ideally, the idea of HAVING TO HAVE by-laws sucks...but so does the idea of having to have laws about murder and robbing banks. Shouldn't need them... but not everybody follows the rules like you and I do, do they?

[Scoutfish]

Well...naturally, AFTER my last post was posted, I thought of a different way to say it. Go figure!

Policy's and procedures are pretty much organazational laws.

 

 

Bylaws are the police who enforce/ maintain and make sure members follow the laws ( policy and procedures).

 

Bylaws do not run trhe pack or troop, but rather, enforce the policies and rules that the pack/ troop is run by.

Incidentally, I have never seen a bylaw that actually pertained to a scout... so far, they were always created because of adults and parents!

 

Again....go figure!

[Scoutfish]

Triple post!

Site acting funny too. Feeling like it might lock up or crash the weekend! :

 

(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

[lrsap]

"Incidentally, I have never seen a bylaw that actually pertained to a scout... so far, they were always created because of adults and parents!"

 

Can I get an amen!!!

 

[FScouter]

Since there are so many personal definitions of the word "bylaws" it's essentially impossible to really know what it is anyone means when they use the word. The orignial poster wants ideas for bylaws, but no one knows what that person considers to be bylaws, Emb021 has provided the only correct definition. Using the term "bylaws" when what is wanted is a list of rules or something else is confusing and perpetuates the misuse of the word.