What is the purpose and function of a Troop Committee?

[Buffalo Skipper]

Rather than drag down my other thread, let me ask a very straight forward question with no strings attached:

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF A TROOP COMMITTEE?

[Eagledad]

Establish a vision within the confines of the BSA and direct the program toward that vision.

 

Barry

[FScouter]

Simple. Support and assist the Scoutmaster in carrying out the Scouting program. Secondarily, provide the needed equipment, recruit adult leaders, handle the money.

[OldGreyEagle]

I think its also important to note that the purpose and functin of the Troop/Unit COmmittee is not to hire/fire or otherwise interfere with the scoutmaster, cubmaster etc. They support the program on equal footing with the direct contact leaders of the unit

[ntrog8r]

Well, according to the BSA Troop Committee Guidebook For Successful Troop Operation,

Copyright 1998, Boy Scouts of America, ISBN 0-8395-4505-3:

 

The troop committee is the troop's board of directors and supports the troop program. But you ask, "What does the troop committee do?" The troop committee does the following:

* Ensures that quality adult leadership is recruited and trained. In case the Scoutmaster is absent, a qualified assistant Scoutmaster is assigned. If the Scoutmaster is unable to serve, a replacement is recruited.

* Provides adequate meeting facilities.

* Advises the Scoutmaster on policies relating to Boy Scouting and the chartered organization.

* Supports leaders in carrying out the program.

* Is responsible for finances, adequate funds, and disbursements in line with the approved budget plan.

* Obtains, maintains, and properly cares for troop property.

* Ensures the troop has an outdoor program (minimum 10 days and nights per year).

* Serves on boards of review and courts of honor.

* Supports the Scoutmaster in working with individual boys and problems that may affect the overall program.

* Provides for the special needs and assistance some boys may require.

* Helps with the Friends of Scouting campaign.

* Assists the Scoutmaster with handling boy behavioral problems.

 

 

[Stosh]

If it's a boy-led program I would think there be some support for the boys somewhere in there too, offering suggestions to SM, and boy leaders to assist them in running a good BSA program. Individuals on the committee assist the boys as well, i.e. treasurer working with Quartermaster, etc.

 

Otherwise, if it's an adult led program, then the committee dictates any and all decisions in the program.

 

Kinda depends on what type of program the CO wants.

 

Stosh

[FScouter]

Scouting is not designed to be an adult-led program. There is no option in Scouting for the committee to bastardize the program into an adult-led program. There may be adults and CO's that do that, but then what they have is a program that is not "Scouting" but uses some elements of Scouting.

[Beavah]

To serve the Chartered Organization by providing structure, support, and guidance for the Organization's scouting program in accord with the Organization's mission and values.

 

To learn and make best use of the BSA materials and other resources to achieve the aims of the Chartering Organization for the particular youth it serves.

 

To provide recommendations and feedback to the Chartering Organization on leadership selection and other issues of import to the Organization's scouting program.

 

To take on additional responsibilities and tasks as directed by the Chartering Organization.

 

To conduct themselves in a manner that represents the values of the Chartering Organization and the BSA.

 

 

[BS-87]

A good committee that meets regularly makes sure that the troop is never in crisis mode. (except for the rare and unavoidable instances)

 

Yes, the troop should be boy-run in order to ensure that everything that the troop does is interesting to the boys, but the adult leadership of the troop, including the committee, needs to act like bumpers in bowling.

[Hawkrod]

The Troop Committee has a lot to do just like any other baord of directors. I will say that I think that OldGreyEagle missed the mark pretty wide when he wrote "I think its also important to note that the purpose and functin of the Troop/Unit COmmittee is not to hire/fire or otherwise interfere with the scoutmaster, cubmaster etc. They support the program on equal footing with the direct contact leaders of the unit" because that is a big part of what BSA says they should do and what I expect of them as a COR. Yes, I approve all adult leaders but recruiting them or identifying issues that may cause them to be removed is specifically a function of the Committee according to the program. If a Scoutmasters program does not fit our needs I do expect the CC to gather the information and tell me what the issues are and also give me an opinion as to what should be done. The reality is if the CC is a good one, I will not have reason to question them and the judgement of the Committee and I will simply sign off as they request. In the years that I have been doing this, there is only one time that I have overridden a Committee decision and that was in choosing a CM about 5 years ago. The Committee had narrowed its choices to two experienced ACM's but I felt that one was too "dry", he was a military type and "did not put up with crap" and the other was jovial and fun so the kids loved him but he was disorganized. My pick was a relatively new father that I had camped with a few times who had just become another ACM. He has been with us for quite a while now and proved to be the best choice by far. He is our SM now and I think he's one of the best. I only mention all of this to point out that the Committee does have "power" to hire/fire and dictate program and there are also times that the CO may take part in the process but if the right people are in place it will work as it should and the Committee and the program leaders will be working in unison. There are times when the boys want to do something and teh committee has to tell them that they can't (maybe age related or actually beyond possibility) but usually the Committee helps the boys achieve their goals by providing the support they may need to accomplish things. For example, our Troop does a regular pancake breakfast and it is a Troop Committee member that has the food handling permit because a youth can't. The Troop Committee also handles transportation, equipment acquisition, facilities etc... The Troop Committee also acts as a liason between the CO, the parents and the youth program. The Committee plays goalie to help prevent the parents or CO from running the program (I know it is hard to believe, but some parents are stuck on advancement to the exclusion of all else!). There are also some things that the CO may require that the Committee makes sure happens such as unit participation in local events or service to the CO. On their own, the kids may elect to skip putting flags in the cemetary on Memorial day but the CO requires it and the Committee makes sure it is on the schedule and somebody shows up. Yes, the kids "run" the program but along with that comes some responsibilities that they may not choose to honor so the Committee has to make sure it is taken care of. I have to say that the Committee does a lot more than most realize if everything is working properly and a big part of that is the "than most realize" because if it is done properly it will be handled through the SPL and the PLC and should be invisible to the rest of the unit. I believe that the CC and the SM will make some decisions and then the SM will discuss those with the SPL and if the right people are doing what they should then the end result will be things getting done and the boys taking credit for doing it because "they choose to do it" not because they were told to do it.

[OldGreyEagle]

when I figure out what you wrote Hawkrod, I am sure I will have a reply(This message has been edited by oldgreyeagle)

[BS-87]

Please break it up into paragraphs Hawkrod...

 

A block of text is impossible to read...

[moosetracker]

Thanks Hawkrod - You & I agree on alot of things..

 

OGE's comment was probably residule from an recent past thread where some of us where believing the hire/fire was as you state. The committee is made up of various people who have a good handle on if the program is running well and who of the parents would be excellent canidates for this position or that one.. They also are on the front line to know about serious problems and what or who those problems are.. Therefore as a group (not the CC alone), they have a right to vote on the right people for the job or right replacements for the problems and the COR 95% to 99% of the time will support their decisions..

 

Others believe if the COR signs the final papers, then committee has zippo power and have no rights even discussing who to hire/replace..

 

Only thing I sort-of differ with (but probably because of unit differences).. While the Committee may enforce participations important to the CO, the SM could do that on his own without the Committee needing to remind him..

 

We had 2 SM's who were already marking the Memorial Day parade, Law Enforcement parade and a clean-up day we do for a community organization. He will bark out the "manditory attendence" when announcing these important dates.

 

So that piece may not need committee involvement.

[Hawkrod]

Moose, You are probably rightabout the scheduling but our Committee usually handles the calendar for the SM, it isn't that he needs reminding or that he can't do it, it has always been the committee who has done it but it does not need to be that way. It also helps having ten pairs of eyes on the calendar when things get busy becaue our SM already has a ton of stuff on his plate! LOL I know he appreciates the help so I wouldn't suggest changing it but others may have another way that works better for them.

[ghermanno]

It has been mentioned that this (the Troop) is a Boy-Led organization. The Committee should be receiving infromation from the SPL/SM/ASM as to what the boys would like to do and the Committee helping determine if it is plausible/feasable.

 

The main purpose of the Committee is to SUPPORT the PROGRAM and that should be determined by the boys mostly.

 

my $0.02

 

Rick