frustrated with calling, stake, and scouting

[Delanie]

A few months' back I was called into a stake position over scouting, and I've largely enjoyed it. However, we are in a bind. My stake is very weird when it comes to money... and has not yet paid our local Scout council for last year's charters. Last time I checked, we owe them over 10,000$ for the charters, registrations, and all that we've done. The excuse was that there were a lot of stake changes around the time the money was due and it took a long time for the right person to get the bill. From what I've been able to gather, everyone is being very stubborn about this, has no intention of paying it off, and no longer even want the stake to be involved with Scouting.

Me and the rest of the stake committee really don't know what to do with this. We have a lot of boys in the middle of awards, a lot of boys trying to finish their Eagles and Rangers, etc. I know we won't be able to record awards if no one is registered next year as I don't think the council will let us recharter being this much in debt.

So should we just hand record awards until the stake gets with the program? If we have boys bent on continuing in Scouting, how can I help find them different troops to join?

[Just_A_Guy]

If the Council is threatening to stop awards until your stake is paid up, I'd ask them to send a letter to that effect directly to the stake president with a cc to you. Once you've confirmed receipt, if nothing happens in a week or two, then respectfully approach the SP and tell him that you're aware of the council's ultimatum and that if he's determined that the stake abandon Scouting, you'd like his permission to at least seek out the boys who want to continue in Scouting independently and connect them with a local non-LDS troop.

Edited July 28, 2012 by Just_A_Guy

[Backroads]

I personally wouldn't worry too much about the debt--I imagine your stake won't be allowed to get away with that for too long. Someone will eventually make them pay up. You might just have to worry about your particular calling.

However, I do work in Scouting, and it is unlikely that if your stake is still owing that much when the next charter season rolls around and your stake is expecting another 10000$ in free charters your stake's units will actually get posted.

I imagine you'll be fine for the rest of this year, but if your stake is adamant about getting rid of Scouting and you suddenly find yourself without any units recongized by your council next year, you should just call it quits. I wouldn't bother having anyone try to record advancements on paper for a full year or however long it takes.

Depending on your council's policies, they may be able to give you a list of other units in your area which you could then distribute to all the unit leaders in the stake. That way, the kids interested in continuing Scouting could find another place to head.

You could also talk to another stake, if any kids are willing to travel to the next boundaries, and see if any of their units are willing to take boys and if that stake is willing to pick up the tab.

Also, people in each ward or couple of wards could simply set up their own Scouting program. It wouldn't be affiliated with the Church and would cost money, but it is an option.

But as for the money, it's not your responsibility and I'm sure it will eventually get taken care of.

[MarginOfError]

First, bring it up with your stake president. JAG makes a very good suggestion here.

Second, if need be, remind them that there is a directive from Church Headquarters that all young men on the Church records in the US are to be registered for scouting. The only reasons a boy shouldn't be registered are if a) you can't find the boy (less-active, perhaps) or his parents to get the forms signed, or b) the parents refuse to enroll their son.

Being "weird when it comes to money" is no excuse not to pay this bill. Scout registration costs are a reimbursable cost. That means that as soon as the stake writes a check to the council, Salt Lake transfers that amount of money into the stake's account to cover the cost. Registration is not paid by the stake's budget. This, of course, assumes that your stake clerk/financial clerk know which account to charge the registration to.

Lastly, if you continue to have trouble getting this bill paid, you can notify the Area President or send a letter to Salt Lake. I'm fairly certain they will make sure this gets taken care of quickly.

[Backroads]

MoE is right. There shouldn't be much delay between the stake's payment and the Church's reimbursment.

Now, I have seen stakes delay big bills like this, often because some new guy is in the position and really doesn't get how it works. I've yet to see anyone go as much as a full charter year, though do have a lazy stake that's famous for being months late.

Another thought. I've never seen a stake do this, but I have seen unit leaders frustrated with charter paperwork and ask if they can just "not do it" and just fake their way through the Scouting program without actually being registered. I wonder if that is what your stake hopes to do. This creates a lot of problems, as kids and parents like advancements and seeing the awards, which you just can't get if your unit doesn't exist. Also, it's a liability problem. If you're faking your way through Scouting but aren't registered, the BSA ain't going to cover anything that goes wrong on a "Scouting" activity.

[Delanie]

To end the story, a new guy in the stake presidency saw the latest bill, freaked out, and now all debts are paid.

No one in power in the stake seems to like the idea of continuing Scouting, but they do seem to be getting the idea it's not their decision.

[Pahoranite]

Tell everyone that you will use what would otherwise be the Friends of Scouting money to pay for the charters.

[MarginOfError]

Tell everyone that you will use what would otherwise be the Friends of Scouting money to pay for the charters.

I think you would run into legal issues there, since the money collected by Friends of Scouting does not belong to the Church.

[Pahoranite]

I should have been clearer. In saying "Tell everyone that you will use what would otherwise be the Friends of Scouting" I meant for that to be tell them that "instead of contributing to Friends of Scouting they could contribute to cover charter fees." There would be no legal problem and my experience is that a number of members would donate knowing it would specifically benefit the local boys and that it was NOT going to friends of scouting.

(My comment was meant to be directed at what many view as problems with Friends of Scouting, as the problem had already been resolved by his stake.)