Will local Boy Scout units really vote to disband their councils throughout Michigan?
The proposed Area Project Crossroads recommendation is bad for the Boy Scouts of America.
Dell Deaton | Contributor
Full disclosure: I cast the only vote against that resolution.
Similar votes, coordinated from the highest levels of Scouting in our state, were held by all 11 councils in Michigan and northwestern Ohio. Although our board meeting calendar is typically long-set for the year, we were told during the last week of July that plummeting BSA youth registration numbers and fundraising shortfalls cried out for the scheduling of a special meeting on Sept. 15.
Additionally, some said it was important that votes throughout Michigan take place on the same day à la political elections, where news blackouts seek to keep earlier poll results from influencing later voting direction.
Notwithstanding, Great Sauk Trail Council deliberations were punctuated numerous times by ad hoc reports from a state-level Scouting official in attendance — who would jump up from his table and dash out of the room every time his cell phone rang — returning moments later with fist-in-the-air updates on this council or that who he said had just approved the motion we were still trying to consider.
People from my generation may empathize when I say it reminded me of those scenes from The Sting, when the Ray Walston character reported horserace results from a ticker-tape setup.
Curiously, not one of the Scouter scoops admitted that the Boy Scouts of America Erie Shores Council, which includes Toledo, had by 7:46 p.m. that same night voted unanimously to reject the proposed shutdown scheme. Yet that news had been spreading like wildfire via eMail and text messages for almost an hour before the first Great Sauk Trail Council vote was called.
What’s really going on here?
Alternatively called the “Area Project” or “Area 2 Project,” this pitch requires that participating councils surrender all assets (which means tens of millions of dollars in unrestricted endowment monies and real estate), as well as all decision-making control, to a central authority, i.e., “Area,” roughly equivalent to the borders of Michigan. All future budgeting and revenue would flow through area.
That’s a huge change from how things are structured today.
For example, when you voluntarily make donations to a Friends of Scouting appeal in our council, it serves program offerings and the youth in our council. When you buy popcorn from a local Scout, roughly a third of the amount you pay goes to our council and stays in our council (another third goes to support the boys’ Pack, Troop, et cetera; the final third goes to the company that makes the popcorn).
Under the Area Project, all of those Friends of Scouting and council popcorn shares would go to the Area; Area would then decide how much, if any, comes back to our community — and how much that it (in its sole discretion) decided was better distributed elsewhere.
What do surrendering councils in general, and our Great Sauk Trail Council centered here in Washtenaw County in particular, get in return?
That depends on who you ask.
But the one thing on which we all can agree is that the Area Project materials themselves don’t say. You read that correctly: There is no plan in the Area Project “plan.” Well, except that it is amply clear on the aspects of what our council is giving to Area, and what we are relinquishing in control and oversight.
Area Project documentation wasn’t available even to me as an executive board member until July 26. At that time, it was 70 pages long. Less than a month before it was put to Boy Scout council boards on Sept. 15, it had swelled to 110 pages. It was long on storytelling but utterly devoid of timelines along which results could be anticipated, meaningful metrics by which benefit claims could be objectively measured, and rubber-hits-the-road accountability.
By way of perspective, the bylaws for our council are 25 pages long. Whether you’re a corporate executive or tied to a modestly incorporated hobby group in Ann Arbor, you’d have no problem understanding what members are supposed to do, what they get in return and how success or failure is to be measured. Clear. Up-front. Nothing mysterious.
I’m not a lawyer (nor do I play one on TV), but I believe the legal profession refers to this as “meeting of the minds.”
On Aug. 26, I submitted a straight-forward, 8-page rebuttal that included 72 footnotes to back an extensive analysis of their 110-page pitch, arguing that it was not just a bad idea, but a clear danger to the future health of the Boy Scouts of America.
That was over three weeks ago now. Still no direct response. After that, however, I noticed a unified message from paid staff earlier this month across the meetings in each of the four districts that make up our council: “If you’re looking for one plus one to equal two here, that’s not what this is about.” With all due respect, for anyone being asked to sign away literally millions of dollars that have been entrusted to their care, it sure oughta be about exactly that!
I saw a similar detail-avoidant spin again at our meeting last Thursday, when an executive board member noted from the floor that pro forma financials attached to the recommendation were in one case off by over a million dollars. Area Project officials present responded that we had to “allow for human error anytime humans are involved.”
So we’re not only to ignore deficiencies in Area Project leaders’ forecasting models, but also forget about asking them to get basic, known past-performance arithmetic accurate? To the tune of one million dollars?
That’s more than twice the total fundraising goal set for the Boy Scouts of America district here in Washtenaw County. One million dollars would allow us to send 4,000 boys to Scout summer camp on full scholarships. (In appreciation, I’m sure those 10 years old and up would be willing to show Area Project proponents how to run simple math equations, including one-plus-one sums.)
Less than two months ago, Area Project was inexplicably re-branded “Crossroads Recommendation.” Whatever the basis for the name change, there’s no disagreement that the Boy Scouts of America is, indeed, at a crossroads — and X marks the spot as it crosses through Michigan.
There’s no doubt how I’m voting in the council-wide ballot.
And there’s also no doubt what I’m basing my vote on: This community knows me as a prepared, dedicated advocate for the youth of the Boy Scouts of America. I’ll put my camping schedule with area boys as of 2011 up for scrutiny against anyone on the Area Project lead-team.
My many feature articles over the years for AnnArbor.com are still right here online; I provide special Scouting resource links periodically on Twitter. Over the past four years, I’ve personally met with most units in the district through which I serve.
But anyone’s resume is only the opening ante. That’s why I’m linking here not just to my eight-page analysis and case against the Crossroads Recommendation, but also to the 110-page Area Project / Area 2 Project / Crossroads Recommendation itself.
No one who has not read and does not thoroughly understand the Crossroads Recommendation should vote for it — nor blindly sign any absentee or write-in ballot related to the Area Project. No matter who puts it in front of them. This isn’t a matter of who you “trust.” It’s a matter of acting responsibly with the trust that the youth of your unit have put in you to protect them not just from malice, but from harm that may come even from those who claim the best of intentions.
One of the most troubling measures approved by the Great Sauk Trail board last Thursday actually makes it possible for unit representatives to authorize shutting down our local Boy Scout council, transferring all its assets and forfeiting all right to future input, without anyone else in the Boy Scout Troop, Cub Scout Pack, or Venture Crew he or she represents even knowing they’ve done it.
That real possibility is the most chilling of all here.
Dell Deaton is a local volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America. He currently serves as an executive board member with the Great Sauk Trail Council and Huron Trails District Chair.
Comments
15crown00
Sat, Feb 16, 2013 : 9:21 p.m.
fact is there is no sense arguing about it.it's a done deal like it or not.frankly i think local councils are getting shafted but you either play by their rules or you're through. Even you brownnoses know this is the truth.
Fiddlesticks
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 12:55 a.m.
OMG I'm so sorry you're dealing with this but you're not alone. This sounds a lot like what has literally torn La Leche League apart in the United States. Sad, sad, sad that good volunteer and community service organizations are being ripped to shreds by these newfangled and obtuse organizational stunts.
Scout for Life
Thu, Sep 22, 2011 : 4:56 p.m.
To answer the questions about the Charter partner or charter organization: they are the organization that sponsors the scout unit. While the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints may be the one of the Largest Charter Partners they are not the only one. Other larger charter partners include the Catholic Church and the Methodist Chruch.
Scout for Life
Thu, Sep 22, 2011 : 4:22 p.m.
While I welcome all opinions. I feel that Mr. Deaton has left out some very important facts and has jumped to scare tactics to have his opinion heard and to keep his position on the executive board of the council. The area project has been a project that has been in the works for over a year now there have been both volunteers and professionals that have spent valuable time and energy working towards a solution that will ensure that scouting continues for the next 100 years. While there will be changes in how scouting is administered and how funds are managed there will also be great efforts to provide improvements to scouting with in Michigan. An increase in the number of the camps and the camps will have program focuses to be able to better serve all of the youth that are registered and there will be a great increase in the quality of program available to all scouts in the area. Mr Deaton I have several questions for you: You ask that the Charter partners become involved and make their voices be heard. While in the last year while serving as the District Chairman you have done everything that you can to chase off the Charter Partners and not allow their voices to be heard. You were the person who decided to cancel all of the district scouting events which will reduce the funds and the number of the youth available to the council. How can you ask a group of individuals to vote when you will not allow them to attend the district meetings and allow their voice to be heard?
DexterParent2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 2:35 p.m.
Here it is. His name is Ian Bagley. I guess he was a mormon (LDS?). "Participating in the Boy Scouts for seven years, including two summers as a Boy Scout camp counselor, also provided Ian with valuable knowledge. He says that the motto "Be prepared" helped him realize that at every moment, he needs to be ready to offer help." <a href="http://lds.org/new-era/2007/09/save-her?lang=eng&query=girl+grand+canyon" rel='nofollow'>http://lds.org/new-era/2007/09/save-her?lang=eng&query=girl+grand+canyon</a> This is a great story. You can probably tell I love the scouting program.
DexterParent2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.
continued: My son's favorite story is the one where the former scout climbed over a rail in the Grand Canyon to rescue a toddler who was slipping down a slope to a huge drop off right in front of her parents. The boy was able to help because he KNEW WHAT TO DO because of what he had learned in scouting through the special programs he participated in. And he was WILLING to risk his own safety to rescue her because he was a SCOUT. I'm having a hard time finding a link to the story, but it's a good one and I'll try to post it here. (Dear AA.com, I'm not shouting with the caps, just emphasizing)
DexterParent2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 2:18 p.m.
@A2comments First congratulations to your two Eagle scouts. I agree that the quality is likely to go up because only those with real determination are likely to stay in scouting. And if determination isn't on the list of scouting virtues, it should be. I also agree that if the parents/volunteers aren't contributing and supporting then THAT will be the end of scouting. Paid scout leaders are not going to fix much. Ditto on the discrimination. That's exactly what's NOT supposed to happen in scouting. I feel like my boys are safe with and well-cared for by their leaders. Good scouts understand and respect people who may be different than they are. I recently went through the online youth protection training, and I feel strongly that any young man regardless of sexual orientation would be welcome in scouting. And that he would be protected from embarrassment or poor treatment. In a world where anything goes and--let's face it--kids can be very entitled and disrespectful, it's so very good that we can put our boys in a program that teaches them to be deep down good people.
M.Bradshaw
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 2:03 p.m.
- Sounds like "chartered partner" is code for LDS church. The stand on homosexuals, and the focus on religion, come from the influence of the LDS church, not the council office. Go dig up your old scout books and you'll see a definate before and after focus. And if you think about it, neither issue has anything to do with scouting's focus on citizenship, community service, and learning practical skills. I don't want to disband the council office any more than I want to see leadership default to the LDS church (chartered partner). -
A2comments
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 7:23 p.m.
It is not code for anything. The LDS church sponsors LDS troops/packs. Most of the troops/packs are NOT in any way associated with the LDS church, nor is the national organization.
DexterParent2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 2:55 p.m.
Chartered partner is code for chartered partner.
ken lake
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 1:30 p.m.
Like Dell I am on the Executive Board. Like Dell I only became a member this past January. I thank Dell for his thought provoking wrrittings, without them I cant be certain that I would have studied the Crossroads Rec in the detail that I eventually did. The issues Dell brings to light are real and are fears that most of us share as Volunteers, however Volunteers run this program. We put in the hours. We put in or raise the money. We hire the profissionals. Now I know that there are political issues within the organization that need managed but those issues are no different than any other organization. Organizational political nuances can be managed if you become an active participant. The Crossroads Rec attempts to correct many diappointing trends in this business by putting more paid professionals in communities recruiting members, building units etc. I see this change as a refocus on communities and it will be our job as Volunteers to see that the promise of this Recommendation, if approved, is carried out. If Volunteers become disenfranchised and choose not to participate then all the fears that Dell brings to light will happen.
A2comments
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 12:21 p.m.
Last comment. Some people mention that the sponsoring organization takes an active role. I'd ask if they refer to the Mormon Church, which is very active in scouting in the area and which actively requires that adults in the church take positions in a local pack/troop and then rotate out for another person in a short period. LDS-sponsored packs/troops are not runt he same as non-LDS pack/troops. I can tell you that in our experience across several states, the sponsoring organization had no involvement with the packs/troops at all. It was a "been doing it for decades, so keep doing it" situation.
A2comments
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 12:19 p.m.
Cited in some of the comments are policies that many see as discrimination - policies set forth by the paid organization at a national level. As a parent of two Eagle scouts, I've never seen gays discriminated against. I've never even seen it brought up, except when national stuck their foot in their mouth and local units had to respond when asked questions. It's a non-issue. In my opinion, the declining membership has resulted in higher quality scouts. In other words, many were in scouting for the wrong reasons, like getting on their resume' to get in college (yes, being an Eagle Scout does matter). Everyone ranks their activities and picks those that they are most interested in. So the number of scouts goes down, and the number of Eagles goes down, but in reality it's mostly eliminating people that shouldn't have been either. Eagle is supposed to be "the elite" of Boy Scouts, not the norm. Regarding the reorg, I have no idea if it's right or wrong. I know that the professional scouting organization is broken, and something needs to change. If it doesn't, Boy Scouting is at peril of not existing. If Scouting doesn't take steps to become more relevant in today's society, it will become a non-entity. Likely an organization driven by volunteers, some units (packs, troops) are well run, some poorly run, and one's opinion of a unit is likely different than someone else's. That's why their are many packs and troops, so you can find one that best fits your son's interests. Again, what the Council does, or whether it exists, is likely not even of issue to you. What is of issue is where my money goes. When we give to scouting, we're supporting LOCAL YOUTH. If my donation is now going to supplement other parts of the state, I WILL GIVE LESS. I may change my donation to the troop itself (through its sponsoring church to get my tax deduction), and not give at any level to the Council / Area / Whatever level. In fact I'm sure I will do that.
A2comments
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 12:10 p.m.
BSA is really run by the volunteers. People at all levels - packs, troops, districts, councils volunteer their time to run Boy Scouts of America. The paid professional BSA staff relies on these volunteers to get the heavy lifting done. Ask any parent that has been in Scouting for any time (I'm the parent of two Eagle Scouts) and they have little knowledge of what the paid staff has ever done - whether here in the greater Ann Arbor area or in other states. Just a reality. The sponsoring organizations, as mentioned in some of the comments, don't have a clue in most cases. Very few of them take an active interest in scouting, in most cases the organization has sponsored scouting for decades and as long as it doesn't negatively impact their organization (usually a church), they keep sponsoring them. The sponsoring organization is actually the legal entity here - a Boy Scout troop isn't a company or a charity - hence the need for the sponsoring organization. Scouting units learn this when they buy an asset like a trailer and try to get it titled and insured, and learn that the sponsoring organization has to (which then realizes their legal position and liability for accidents, etc.). Anytime the sponsoring organization has to sign something, they usually do whatever the scouting unit asks them to do. Scouting suffers from what all organizations that appeal to our youth are suffering from - there are too many things distracting our youth, so participation in everything is dropping - soccer, music lessons, parent teacher organizations, etc. Some reasons are cited here (more transient families) others include the internet, cellphones and texting, etc. Society is changing and these organizations are trying to change but losing membership rapidly. To be continued...
Dell Deaton
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 12:06 p.m.
@DexterParent2 Following are what I believe to be the most relevant links for more information on the Boy Scouts of America BSA Area Project Crossroads Recommendation. Case against BSA Area Project Crossroads Recommendation, including citations to exact passages of concern: <a href="http://www.proteuspubs.com/scoutingdell/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/boy-scouts-area-project-crossroads-recommendation-case-against.pdf" rel='nofollow'>http://www.proteuspubs.com/scoutingdell/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/boy-scouts-area-project-crossroads-recommendation-case-against.pdf</a> Complete text of the BSA Area 2 Project Crossroads Recommendation, as approved by the national Boy Scouts of America organization: <a href="http://www.proteuspubs.com/scoutingdell/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/boy-scouts-area-project-crossroads-recommendation-final-2011-0824.pdf" rel='nofollow'>http://www.proteuspubs.com/scoutingdell/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/boy-scouts-area-project-crossroads-recommendation-final-2011-0824.pdf</a> Official BSA Area Project website, including FAQ page (last updated sometime prior to August 12, 2011): <a href="http://www.bsaareaproject.org/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.bsaareaproject.org/</a> Analysis and recommendations regarding District event offerings, including impact on membership numbers and fundraising efforts: <a href="http://www.proteuspubs.com/scoutingdell/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/boy-scouts-of-america-program-white-paper-dell-deaton-april-2011.pdf"" rel='nofollow'>http://www.proteuspubs.com/scoutingdell/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/boy-scouts-of-america-program-white-paper-dell-deaton-april-2011.pdf&quot;</a>
DexterParent2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 2:03 p.m.
Thank you, Dell. I'm going to read these. Scouting is very important to our family. We volunteer and plan to keep doing do. I am wondering how something that seems so significant has not been shared generally with scouters and parents.
DexterParent2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 3:49 a.m.
Wow. This is the first I've heard of this. Your title is very catchy. I'm wondering that myself, and wish I had more information on this subject. Do you have any links?
Mark
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 3:26 a.m.
A Scout is: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, Reverent If this represents the dark ages, then shame on us all. Personally, I think we need more people with a commitment to internalizing these traits, not fewer. The Great Sauk Council is well run and quite respected. I wish them well-- however this turns out. I'm wondering which one of these qualities offends you so much you want the Boy Scouts program disbanded?
Terri
Mon, Sep 19, 2011 : 10:56 p.m.
Lose the homophobia and I would support Boy Scouting. As it stands, I hope this is the start of a national trend.
EyeHeartA2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 8:28 p.m.
@Epengar; The question was addressed to Terri @Terri; Now that you know the local council has a none discrimination policy, please tell us of your additional support you intend to give.
DexterParent2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 5:52 p.m.
<a href="http://stephhicks68.hubpages.com/hub/Religion-and-Scouting-Do-They-Have-to-Go-Together" rel='nofollow'>http://stephhicks68.hubpages.com/hub/Religion-and-Scouting-Do-They-Have-to-Go-Together</a> Sorry, I forgot the link. Interesting reading.
DexterParent2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 5:52 p.m.
Well, someone's tried to answer the question. It's interesting. And yes, faith, at least, is a requirement, although which faith or even whether it's a faith in science, is not mandated. I suppose though for a family with no faith in a higher power or even in something more instinctual than that might feel more comfortable in a different organization, and that's fine. There are certainly other good choices. Still, I have a great deal of respect for the scouts and don't anticipate this being any problem for our boys. Seriously? I wish more children could be learning those core values. Whether it's for God or for community or simply for the good feelings that come from doing good deeds, scouting is awesome. (A little heavy on the regulations, but it's worth it, imo.)
DexterParent2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 5:39 p.m.
I guess I'd have to look in to that. We have secular troops and religion-chartered troops. Boys that attend church and boys who I know for certain don't go to church or believe in God. As far as I know they are all scouts in good standing and equally important in their packs. But I am a parent and not a longtime scout member. I just know what I see in our community of packs/troops. I suppose that a moral and religious basis for the organization does not translate into a requirement of a belief in God for individual scouts. Apparently not, anyway. How they work it out, I don't know.
Peregrine
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 5:32 p.m.
@DexterParent2: I'm not an expert, but I think you're incorrect. A belief in and reverence towards God is a requirement to being a Boy Scout. Declaration of Religious Principle, Bylaws of Boy Scouts of America, art. IX, § 1, cl. 1 (see: <a href="http://www.bsalegal.org/duty-to-god-cases-224.asp)" rel='nofollow'>http://www.bsalegal.org/duty-to-god-cases-224.asp)</a> "The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God. In the first part of the Scout Oath or Promise the member declares, 'On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law.' The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgment of His favors and blessings are necessary to the best type of citizenship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members. No matter what the religious faith of the members may be, this fundamental need of good citizenship should be kept before them. The Boy Scouts of America, therefore, recognizes the religious element in the training of the member, but it is absolutely nonsectarian in its attitude toward that religious training. Its policy is that the home and the organization or group with which the member is connected shall give definite attention to religious life."
DexterParent2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 2:46 p.m.
In our city, we have several scout troops to choose among. Some are associated with a church and some are not. I assume you've had a bad experience with a particular troop/pack or leader, and that's too bad. Or maybe where you participated, you did not have a non-religion based troop. But the policies of scouting are certainly not "hating" or "anti-." Because of your individual experience you may perceive them to be, but to spread your bad impressions so thickly across the entire organization is not fair. There is no requirement to believe in God to be a scout, as I'm sure you must know. Or to be homophobic. But there are good and bad people in any group, so there certainly may be individuals in scouting who do not respect other people as they should.
Epengar
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 2:06 p.m.
I'm really glad to hear that the local council has such a non-discrimination policy, I didn't know that was possible within the BSA organization. to EyeHeart, I'm a former scout, was even Senior Patrol Leader for my troop. As an adult and educator, I would do a lot more for Scouting if they dropped their the homophobia and anti-atheist policies. I think these policies do discourage some parents from getting their sons into Scouting, especially younger parents that BSA desperately needs to connect with.
ken lake
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 12:31 p.m.
All here should know that the Great Sauk Trail Council has a non discrimination policy regarding the typical list of issues including sexual orientation.
EyeHeartA2
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 2:37 a.m.
I seriously doubt you have ever done anything to support scouting. I suspect the homophobia thing is simply a convienient excuse. Remove that and please describe the support you would give? No critizing an orginization is not the same as supporting it. Would you buy a whold box of popcorn?
seldon
Mon, Sep 19, 2011 : 10:55 p.m.
Maybe if the Boy Scouts weren't stuck in the dark ages on issues like religion and sexual orientation, they wouldn't be in this situation now.
Charlie Brown's Ghost
Tue, Sep 20, 2011 : 4:13 a.m.
I knew the haters would have to drop by eventually.
Joe Hood
Mon, Sep 19, 2011 : 9:44 p.m.
The subject needs a little work. Council is a level of organization. Troop or Pack are what most of us are familiar with and nothing is happening this level of organization.
DrBob
Sun, Sep 18, 2011 : 4:59 p.m.
So unlike the comments from "V" I am a voting member of the council who serves a local community organization that is involved with its scouting units. There are Chartered Partners who are truly interested in providing service through scouting. I was open minded about the proposed changes, in part because it was officials from our local Great Sauk Trail council who were some of the prime movers in the Area plan. I still haven't made up my mind how I will vote (the board vote described above was only to send the proposal to the membership, which must still vote). In some ways in the modern world, having local offices for support are no longer as necessary as they once were. That having been said, this vote will really take the assets of a well-run and fiscally solvent council like ours here in Ann Arbor/Jackson/Monroe and transfer them to an area entity where they will "bail out" other councils. And it is very clear that this proposal will result in the sale of boy scout camps across Michigan, in favor of area endowment to pay executive salaries. So there will be a loss of scouting resources, a loss of community connections, and a loss of local accountability which will be profound. With the declining membership and resources in some areas of the state, some consolidation is perhaps inevitable. As "V" and Dell point out, there are some real demographic changes that make scouting less popular for parents compared to "organized" activities with paid staff rather than parent volunteers. At the same time, we can look at the explosive growth of Scouting in Great Britain as an example of what is possible with less ossified leadership, and this change enhances the control of our more bureaucratic and remote, disconnected leadership. So this change, far from addressing declining membership, may well accelerate it by further institutionalizing weak, remote leadership and loss of local scouting resources.
V
Sun, Sep 18, 2011 : 5:49 a.m.
Is this Crossroads Recommendation a good idea? No one knows. You don't. I don't and the Great Sauk Trail leadership doesn't. It is a drastic plan to address a failing situation done on a level that has not been tried before. It is at best an experiment. If it succeeds it might be the foundation for other areas. Knowing the BSA, even if it fails, it will be the foundation for other areas. The BSA is a youth serving corporation. It is a company. They will work their boundary issues out one way or another and there will still be the Pack/Troop that my son or grandson goes to because I will make that happen. I appreciate your concern. I advise you to give it a chance now that the vote has been made. I understand why Toledo doesn't like it. I don't know how they came to be associated with us anyway. I am happy that my donations and efforts go to a "Michigan" area. Oh, I read your 10-page opinion on the issue. You really need to tone it down (like you did in this current article). The other was a turn-off. Part 4
V
Sun, Sep 18, 2011 : 5:48 a.m.
There are some volunteers in the BSA that are our elders. The wise ones who have been around for a while and have seen change come and go. Dell, you are becoming one of these now. The Great Sauk Trail Council is not very old. It was the product of a merger between the Land of Lakes Council and the Wolverine Council (which itself was the product of a previous merger) in the 70's. There were reservations about each of these mergers similar to everything you have proposed. They were presented much like this Crossroads thing is now. Aside from the sale of our local camps, there wasn't much change at the unit level. The proprietary and fiduciary responsibility of the company that is the BSA is not my concern. I don't care. Part 3
V
Sun, Sep 18, 2011 : 5:47 a.m.
Let's look at the concept of Chartered Partners. These are the organizations that the BSA connects with to house (or sponsor) their Packs and Troops. The intent is that these Chartered Partners take ownership of the units that meet at their facility and then become an integral part of the council (a set geography that has X amount of Troops and Packs). The reality of the situation is that almost none of the organizations that "charter" a Troop or Pack give a hoot if it is there or not. These apathetic partners are voting members for this important decision… My guess is if any of them showed up for the vote, they were dragged there. They just don't care to know what's going on… That said, I think it is time to end the concept of "chartered partners" and realize the situation for what it is: we are just tenants with a worthy cause. Organizations don't care. Look at our volunteer leadership. We are slowly loosing the ability secure new parents as leaders. Most of them do not consider themselves part of the situation, part of the community. Many are transient, moving their family every 2-5 years. There is no need to become part of the community by volunteering. Most volunteers are driven by the need to be there for their son; it is only after they have taken up the mantle of leadership that the real benefits of citizenship come their way. I know because that was my experience… The old ways to inspire volunteerism are gone. New ways need to be found. People don't care. Part 2
V
Sun, Sep 18, 2011 : 5:46 a.m.
I am also involved with the Ann Arbor council. I can verify the validity of most of your facts, but some of your conclusions lack a historical knowledge. Granted the BSA is notorious for their poor communication, but I feel they are at least trying here. I agree that they are also failing here. They are selling their idea by spinning off any rejections of their plan (without completely understanding these dissenting opinions). And yes that does make the whole process a political one. But they aren't the only organization with internal politics, and you can fault them for that. The BSA's problem is that the whole world has changed (several times over) and they are lagging behind. They are coming up on the 1990's soon (lol). Part 1