Broken Troop New SM ??S

[MRJ25]

 

I have a screwed up troop. Only been the SM for a couple of months. I feel like a puppet that the committee is pulling my strings. The secretary has more say in this troop than I do. The Chair and the secretary are friends. The chair tells me one thing and does something completely different.

Am I wrong in asking the Chair to tell the committee what the function are for the SM?

The other day one of our parent told me that the scout oat and law are just words on a piece of paper, you really expect us to follow that?

Fund raisers are bad. When I bring up ways to make the fund raiser better, Im told to do it myself.

Can I tell parent that if you do not show up for fund raiser, our troop is going to ask you for $150.00 or so per family per event to help fund the troop?

This committee does not want to charge dues and no one shows up for fund raiser.

This troop has not recruited in 3 years. I want to start recruiting, I was told to do it myself.

I have been threatened that if I change things to fast that a couple of families will drop.

I was told that I need to put in my time, like all of the senior parents have to be counted.

The camping equipment is trash. I asked a parent to look for thing at rummage sales.

I could not believe what language she used on me for mentioning rummage sale.

I was talking to a parent today and was told that a couple of parents in this committee want me removed.

 

What to do

 

P

 

[Nike]

Why do you want to stay with this group if they are as disagreeable as you portray them?

[Second Class]

Yes, a broken troop. Is your son there? How old? Other troops in town?

No dues? Foul language? Parents that don't believe the Oath and Law?

How did you get roped into such an arrangement? You have already taken the job, so you have given away your chips for negotiation on job assignments.

If you choose to stay, give the CC the job requirements of the Scoutmaster, Chairman, etc., and tell him to stay out of your job, and you'll stay out of his. No fundraising, no problem. Cash money UP FRONT before a scout attends a function. Let him worry about fundraising, and paying for recharter.

It sounds like it's close to cratering.

[SeattlePioneer]

Hello MRJ,

 

 

You are raising excellent questions.

 

 

>

 

 

These are good questions. What alternatives are available?

 

You describe a Troop Committee that has a plan to fail and has been carrying out that plan for years. They are good at carrying out their plan and don't want too change.

 

So I'd start by asking about what alternative troops might be available that don't have a toxic program.

 

What group is the Chartered Organization and who is the Chartered Organization Rep? It might be possible to do a housecleaning of poor leaders and then start with a new program emphasizing a quality program and recruiting to rebuild what is there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Eagle732]

MRJ25,

The SM's job is to administer the program to the boys. The committee is there to SUPPORT your program. If the troop's secretary or committee chair want to run the program then let one of them be SM.

 

When I took the job of SM 5 years ago I said to the committee that I would do the job as long as they did not interfere with my program. I had been an ASM with another troop that had an excellent program so I had an idea of what I wanted to do. They agreed but I've had to hold them to their agreement a few times over the year. Fortunately I have good committee that supports me so that we can offer a quality program.

 

To answer your specific concerns:

 

"Am I wrong in asking the Chair to tell the committee what the function are for the SM?"

The committee should know what the SM's job is if they are trained.

 

"The other day one of our parent told me that the scout oat and law are just words on a piece of paper, you really expect us to follow that?"

Yea, some parents don't get it. Hard to get the boys to buy in to something the adults don't believe in. Our CC and COR booted our secretary and advancement chair (husband and wife) for violations of the oath and law. All adults that work with boys are expected to live up to the Ideas of Scouting in my unit.

 

"Fund raisers are bad. When I bring up ways to make the fund raiser better, Im told to do it myself."

I believe this is joint effort. The committee should make the plans and arraignments and the boys should participate.

 

"Can I tell parent that if you do not show up for fund raiser, our troop is going to ask you for $150.00 or so per family per event to help fund the troop?"

That's kind of a troop policy thing. You might as well accept the fact that not everyone is going to pitch in.

 

"This committee does not want to charge dues and no one shows up for fund raiser."

It's the committee's job to provide you with the resources needed. They need to figure out how to do that. When you make reasonable requests for resources the committee needs to provide them.

 

"This troop has not recruited in 3 years. I want to start recruiting, I was told to do it myself."

Again it would be nice if this was a group effort, after all you're all in the same troop. Frankly I do most of this myself.

 

"I have been threatened that if I change things to fast that a couple of families will drop."

Yea change is always tough. You should have heard the screams when I proposed to change meeting nights to Sunday, four years later you could't pay people to go back to Tuesdays.

 

"I was told that I need to put in my time, like all of the senior parents have to be counted."

I don't really understand this but rest assured that if you keep the SM job you'll be putting in plenty of time!

 

"The camping equipment is trash. I asked a parent to look for thing at rummage sales.

I could not believe what language she used on me for mentioning rummage sale."

Using foul language against another member is obviously not appropriate.

You should be able to make a reasonable request for specific equipment to your CC and expect it to be met.

Seems like your unit doesn't want to do fundraising or pay dues. How do they expect to operate?

 

"I was talking to a parent today and was told that a couple of parents in this committee want me removed."

Maybe an ultimatum from you is in order. They either trust you to run the program or not. If not they need to find someone else to do the job.

 

Just my opinion, hope it helps, good luck!

[Lisabob]

I am curious why you agreed to be SM of this bunch? And why you want to stay, if in fact you do want that?

 

Do you have the backing of your CO? If the CO is not involved, what circumstances led to you agreeing to be SM? (who supports you?)

 

Frankly, the things you are describing would cause me to find the nearest exit and look for a troop that welcomed my involvement. Unless there's some overwhelming reason for you to stay, I think you should find a happier place to contribute to scouting.

 

 

ETA: Ohhhh, wait a minute. Are you SM'ing because it is one of your WB tickets? Keep in mind the various admonitions not to set ticket items that require the active support or behavior of others, who are outside of your control. Sure sounds like that would be a challenge, here.

(This message has been edited by lisabob)

[qwazse]

Have you met with your PLs? Have they told you what they would like to do? Do they understand the cost of the program they are asking for?

You may want to consider having your SPL join you at committee meetings.

 

Parents need to hear from their boys. It needs to be about the boys.

 

What does your charter org rep say?

[Sentinel947]

If you cannot convince your Charter Organization to clean house, then I suggest you find a new place where your experience and talents are appreciated and utilized. A couple of my opinions if you don't mind:

 

Committees role is to finance the troop, and to generally do background work in support of the program. Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters determine Program, because they are actually in the trenches working that program. Committee members rarely will have the knowledge of the situations on the ground in a troop, and in my opinion, should stay out. If they want to have a part in determining the program, they need to move positions.

 

As for a parent who thinks the Scout Oath and Law is words. I don't even know what I'd say to that. The words I'd like to say to them are prohibited by that law, the words I'd say would not be kind, courteous, friendly, and certainly wouldn't be clean.

 

Recruiting effectively is a function of Boy Leaders (Den Chiefs) and the Scoutmasters. You really do not need any committee assistance to recruit, unless you feel like you need the extra manpower. However, I'd have a hard time with bringing in Boys into a Troop where the Adults are so divided.

 

Now for a question of my own. Do your Scouts know that the committee is politiking and in division? Do they know that adult members of your Troop are acting like children? ALWAYS expect your Boys to know more about the adult side of things than they should. How can we expect our Boys on our PLC's to work together if the adults don't set a good example in their work?

 

(This message has been edited by Sentinel947)

[Oak Tree]

You have a serious situation here. Who asked you to be the SM? What did they tell you about the job? What did they expect you to do? Is there someone who has your back?

 

Do you have a set of parents who appreciate what you are doing? Have you communicated any kind of vision of what you hope to accomplish in the troop?

 

You can't do this alone. You need to have a set of adults who are with you, or you are doomed. There will almost always be some adults who are unhappy, especially when you are making changes, but you better darned well have some supporters too.

 

As for some of your specific questions:

 

Am I wrong in asking the Chair to tell the committee what the function are for the SM?

 

No, of course you aren't wrong for wanting the committee to understand the role of the SM. But there's something more here. It's not so much that you want them to know the role as it is that you want them to let you do the role. It's very hard to tell people to back off. Much better to provide a vision of where you are trying to go, rather than trying to get the CC to batter people into line.

 

The other day one of our parent told me that the scout oat and law are just words on a piece of paper, you really expect us to follow that?

 

Well, again, I feel like there is more to the story here. Was the parent actually saying that we don't expect the boys to be trustworthy? Or was it that the parent was saying that we can't actually expect them to be able to follow the goals to 100%? Was there an issue with how you dealt with someone who wasn't following the Law?

 

Fund raisers are bad. When I bring up ways to make the fund raiser better, Im told to do it myself.

 

You can't order volunteers around. Again, you need to talk about what your goals are, get people - either the adults and/or the Scouts excited about helping do a better job so that you can do things with the money.

 

Can I tell parent that if you do not show up for fund raiser, our troop is going to ask you for $150.00 or so per family per event to help fund the troop?

 

Some troops do this, but it is not really kosher, according to the IRS. If a boy is in effect earning his own money by showing up and doing a job, then he is supposed to report it as income.

 

This committee does not want to charge dues and no one shows up for fund raiser.

 

So, what is the committee's plan to fund the troop? What do they want to do? Lay out the annual plan and see how they suggest funding it. Or give them options.

 

This troop has not recruited in 3 years. I want to start recruiting, I was told to do it myself.

 

Is there anyone here who likes you? Or are you just butting heads with one or two people in particular? I will say that parents of existing Scouts aren't always the most enthusiastic about recruiting. Not much incentive. This seems like the least of your problems at the moment.

 

I have been threatened that if I change things to fast that a couple of families will drop.

 

That is a possible outcome, for sure. That sounds like accurate advice. You can decide if you think that's ok or not.

 

I was told that I need to put in my time, like all of the senior parents have to be counted.

 

Respect is something that does come over time. However, you are the SM, responsible for working with the Scouts to put on the program. As you build up some relationship capital, you'll get more leeway to do things. But you do need to reach an understanding with the CC and with at least some adults about what it is that you are trying to do. Do you have any ASMs that you can count on?

 

The camping equipment is trash. I asked a parent to look for thing at rummage sales. I could not believe what language she used on me for mentioning rummage sale.

 

It sounds like you have a rough relationship with a lot of people. Of course it's a fine option to look at rummage sales. It almost sounds like people are reflexively against whatever ideas you offer up.

 

I was talking to a parent today and was told that a couple of parents in this committee want me removed.

 

 

No shock there, given all of the above statements.

 

What to do

 

What do you want to do? Why are you there? Are you having any fun? Do you have a Scout in the troop? Unless you have a really strong reason to want to stay, I'd just move on.

 

If you really want to stay, you absolutely need to get on the same page with the CC. I'd try to have a cup of coffee with him, and then document your understanding in writing, just to make sure there are no misunderstandings. Then I'd have some one-on-one discussions with several other adults that seem to want to work with you. You need to build a team.

 

After that, focus on putting on a good program. Go camping. Have fun with the Scouts in the woods. I've found that a lot of good things follow on if you put the program first.