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BOY SCOUT TROOP 447
TROOP POLICY STATEMENTS AS OF 6/1/98
PREFACE
The below listed troop policies have been enacted over the years by the troop committee. Each deals with a specific topic of concern that arose during the course of our troop tenure. Parents are urged to read through these policies and review them with their son. Please keep for future reference.

  1. POLICY STATEMENT #1: TROOP DISCIPLINE POLICY
  2. POLICY STATEMENT #2: 50% ATTENDANCE RULE
  3. POLICY STATEMENT #3: UNIFORMS
  4. POLICY STATEMENT #4: BOY FINANCIAL MATTERS
  5. deleted #5:
  6. POLICY STATEMENT #6: TROOP ADVANCEMENT
  7. POLICY STATEMENT #7: EAGLE PROJECTS
  8. POLICY STATEMENT #8: GENERAL TROOP FUNDING
POLICY STATEMENT #1
SUBJECT: TROOP DISCIPLINE POLICY
 Issued: February 5, 1974

This policy deals with serious disciplinary problems and action taken within this policy will only be taken after all other reasonable measures have been taken and failed. After a serious disciplinary problem has occurred and all other reasonable measures have failed, the following steps, in order, may be taken at the discretion of the Scoutmaster upon consultation with his Assistant Scoutmasters and/or troop committee members present at the time:

  • Probation: Three (3) month period. Upon being placed on probation, a scout becomes liable for a two (2) month suspension if he does not improve in his behavior or causes serious disciplinary problems. However, the events that would warrant a suspension need not be as great as the events that would warrant the original probation.

  • Suspension: Two (2) month period. A scout who is on suspension will not be allowed to participate in any troop activity or function.

  • Second Probation: Three (3) month period. A scout whose suspension period is up is automatically placed back on probation.

  • Expulsion: Serious disciplinary problems during the second probation period will result in the scout being dismissed from the troop, with no option to rejoin.

Note: Notification by mail will be sent to the scout and his parents of steps 1, 2, and 4 above. Successful behavior after Step 3 will give the scout a "clean" record.
  1. For the purpose of this policy, a "serious disciplinary problem" is defined as one major incident or a series of minor incidents constantly repeated.
  2. Improvement during a probationary period shall mean exceptional behavior, above and beyond a normal scout's actions, and includes regular attendance, wearing the uniform, and some progress in advancement.
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POLICY STATEMENT #2
SUBJECT: 50% ATTENDANCE RULE
 ISSUED: May, 1975

In order for a scout to remain on Troop 447's roster and official charter, he must attend at least 50% of all troop activities. Following is a list of further explanations to this statement:

  1. 50% of all scout activities means one-half (1/2) of each type of event--i.e. half of the troop meetings, half of the camping trips, half of the fund raising events, etc. Of course, we encourage and expect all scouts to attend more than 50% of these events.

  2. A scout who fails to meet the 50% rule is subject to being dropped from the troop charter at renewal time at the discretion of the leaders and troop committee.

  3. If a scout has a particular problem as to why he cannot make troop events for a certain length of time, he should tell the Scoutmaster and also have his parents contact him.

  4. A scout who regularly attends certain types of events but fails to regularly attend others may be prohibited from attending those events at the discretion of the Scoutmaster. For example, a boy who continually misses troop meetings but shows up for camping trips, may be prohibited from attending future camping trips until his attendance at troop meetings improves.

  5. The Scoutmaster shall send warning letters ( and/or make phone calls) to the parents of scouts who are in danger of being dropped from the troop charter approximately 2-3 months prior to the charter renewal date.
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POLICY STATEMENT #3
SUBJECT: UNIFORMS
ISSUED: May, 1975
REVISED: November 12, 1985

  1. Every scout of Troop 447 is expected to wear his complete Class "A" uniform (if he owns one) at all troop activities with the following exceptions:
    • He need not wear his uniform at all times on camping trips, but he should have it with him for church services or at other times specified by the troop leaders. (Note: Some camping trips may require the wearing of the uniform for the entire trip, e.g. at a Camporee.)
    • Unless otherwise designated by the troop committee, a scout MAY NOT wear his uniform when selling goods, food, tickets, etc. for a fund raising event.

  2. Policy in regards to uniforms for Board of Reviews: A scout who is going up for a Board of Review must have HIS COMPLETE uniform on at the time of the Board. Otherwise the chairman of the board will be obligated to cancel or postpone the board. Exceptions can only be made by the Troop Committee Chairman/Advancement Chairman.
Note:
  1. It is realized by the troop leaders that there are occasions when wearing the uniform is impossible (such as coming direct from another event). However, these occasions should not occur on a regular basis.
  2. Boy leaders of the troop (SPL, ASPL, patrol leaders, assistant patrol leaders, leadership corps, etc.) should especially be sure to have their uniforms on at all times to set the example.
  3. A scout who has a particular problem with wearing his uniform should contact one of the troop leaders or have his parents contact the scoutmaster.
  4. Failure to wear the uniform regularly without a valid reason could be cause for probation in accordance with Policy Statement #1.
  5. On camping trips, scouts should wear HARD-SOLED shoes for their own protection. Under certain conditions, the troop leaders may allow tennis shoes, but these should preferably be a second "emergency" pair.

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POLICY STATEMENT #4
SUBJECT: BOY FINANCIAL MATTERS
ISSUED: May, 1975
REVISED: November 12, 1985
REVISED: June 1998

  1. DUES-- Effective January 1, 1999, the annual troop registration fee will be $75.00 per year. When a new scout joins the troop, the yearly registration fee is prorated by quarter plus and additional $15.00 to cover the cost of a troop hat, troop neckerchief; and patrol emblem (all provided by the troop). Registration fees cover the following: (1) troop dues (this is in lieu of weekly dues), (2) National and Local Council registration fees, (3) Boy's Life magazine, and (4) troop insurance.

  2. FOOD ON CAMPING TRIPS - Every scout who attends an official troop camping trip is expected to pay for his share of food that his patrol (or member of his patrol) buys for that trip. Anyone who fails to pay for his share will be subject to penalties as outlined below.

    • Food on a camping trip if at all possible should be a patrol decision. Non-perishable items left over from previous camping trips should be kept in a patrol food box and be considered in the planning of meals when possible. *

    • Every scout who commits himself to go on a camping trip must pay his share of food cost. A commitment means the scout says he is going to go on the trip anytime after 10 days prior to departure of the troop for the camping trip. He may cancel out prior to ten days without any penalty.

    • Money for patrol food must be paid two (2) meetings in advance of the trip. Payment in the amount of $10.00 should be made to the designated patrol shopper the Tuesday of the week prior to the week of camping. Balances between the amount paid and the amount spent should be reconciled the meeting after the camping trip. *

    • The patrol leader is responsible for notifying the SPL prior to departure of any scouts who have not paid. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL ABSOLVE THE TROOP FROM ANY RESPONSIBILITY IN THE MATTER.

    • A scout who does not pay prior to departure could be denied the privilege of going. Only the SPL or Scoutmaster can permit him to go. A scout who has a valid reason for not attending can have payment for the food waived. Only the SPL can determine a "valid" reason for not attending after commitment. However, the scout can appeal the SPL's decision to the Scoutmaster. Note: The SPL must keep the member who bought the food involved in any decision he makes.

    • The above applies to money the troop itself has committed for a scout to attend a certain function (such as a Camporee). In troop cases, the SPL and/or Scoutmaster will determine a "valid" reason for not attending after commitment.

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POLICY STATEMENT #6
SUBJECT: TROOP ADVANCEMENT
ISSUED: March 1977

  1. MERIT BADGES
    • Only qualified merit badge counselors whose names appear on the Official District list may sign off scouts for merit badges.
    • A scout should secure the blue card for a merit badge PRIOR to his first meeting with the counselor. This card must be signed in advance by the Scoutmaster.
    • Per vote of the troop committee, parents of scouts may not pass off their son on a merit badge for which there exists other counselors. The only exceptions to this are when another counselor cannot be found , or in "group" merit badge classes. Exceptions are to be made by the Troop Committee Chairman, Advancement Chairman, or appropriate designee.

  2. PROCEDURE FOR RANK ADVANCEMENT
    • A scout who has completed all of the requirements for the next rank shall make an appointment with the Scoutmaster for a Scoutmaster Conference. Prior to this he should verify all his records with the Advancement Chairman and see that his handbook is properly filled out. This conference should be requested at the BEGINNING of the meeting.
    • At the beginning of the next meeting, the candidate should request a Board of Review. With the assistance of the Scoutmaster, he should arrange for the requested Board.
    • Upon successful completion of his Board, the SCOUT advises the Advancement Chairman that he has completed the requirements for the award and presents his handbook.

  3. GENERAL
    • Scouts must be in their own full Class "A" uniform in order to participate in a Board of Review.
    • Boards of Review are made up of Troop Committee Members. There must be a minimum of three members.
    • Troop awards of any nature will be withheld if any financial obligations are outstanding until such time as these obligations are met.
    • Scouts should seek the guidance and advice of their patrol leader or any adult or boy leader if they have questions or problems concerning advancement.

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POLICY STATEMENT #7
SUBJECT: EAGLE PROJECTS
ISSUED: July 1996

  1. PROJECT PROPOSALS
    • Project proposals shall be submitted by the Eagle candidate on forms and in the manner provided by the district and/or troop and contain information pertaining to the scope of the project, materials needed, costs, project man-hours, etc. Pictures and/or sketches, as appropriate, shall be part of the proposal.
    • Eagle project proposals shall first be submitted to the Scoutmaster and Troop Advancement Chairman (or designee) for preliminary approval.
    • After approval by the Troop Advancement Chairman, the candidate shall contact the troop committee chairman so that time may be scheduled at the next committee meeting for final review and approval of the proposal.
    • After the troop committee has approved the project, the Troop Advancement Chairman will submit the proposal to the district advancement committee for review and approval. No work on the project shall commence until district approval has been obtained.

  2. PROJECT ADVISOR
    • The Troop Advancement Chairman or Troop Committee Chairman will designate one adult, either a troop committee member or an assistant scoutmaster, and other than a parent or guardian of the candidate, to serve as advisor to the candidate in the preparation of the proposal and execution of the project.
    • To the extent possible, the advisor shall observe all activities relating to the execution of the project and to assure the health and safety of the scouts and other participants.

  3. PROJECT EXECUTION
    • The Eagle candidate is solely responsible for coordinating and giving leadership to the Eagle project.
    • The candidate will document the project through notes, pictures, etc. A record of those participating in the project, including the dates and hours each worked, shall be maintained by the candidate and be part of the final project report.
    • Since a major thrust of any Eagle project is to demonstrate leadership, as many scouts of the troop as possible should be recruited to execute the project. Other youths not in scouting or the troop can also participate with permission of their parents.
    • Direct adult participation in the project should be minimized or avoided. Participation of a candidate's parents or guardians should be limited to providing transportation, refreshments, etc. and, if desired, to observe the project in progress.

  4. PROJECT REVIEW
    • After completion of the project, the candidate shall complete a report on forms and in the manner provided by the district and/or troop. The report shall be neatly prepared, typed if possible.
    • The adult advisor may prepare a separate report of his/her observations for consideration by the troop committee.
    • After review and approval of the advisor, the candidate shall contact the Troop Advancement Chairman or Troop Committee Chairman to have the final project report reviewed and approved at the next committee meeting.

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POLICY STATEMENT #8
SUBJECT: GENERAL TROOP FUNDING


ISSUED: September 1, 1978
Revised: November 12, 1985
Revised: June 1998

Repealed and Reissued:  May 9, 2006 (retroactive to December 1, 2005)

 

 

1.      General

 

1.1.   Funds for the general operation of the troop will be provided through fund raising efforts. Such events will be scheduled by the troop committee to produce the best possible results for the troop.

 

1.2.   Scouts and Parents are expected to participate in a minimum number of fund raising hours during the course of the fund raising year (December 1 – November 30).

 

2.      Minimum Participation

 

2.1.   Scouts are expected to participate in a minimum of ten (10) fund raising hours during the fund raising year.

 

2.2.   Parents (individually or collectively) are expected to participate in a minimum of six fund raising hours during the fund raising year.

 

2.3.   Failure to meet the minimum number of hours could result in:

 

2.3.1.      Action in accordance with Troop Policy # 2 (attendance)

2.3.2.      The scout being denied participation in any event funded in whole or in part by the troop treasury

2.3.3.      A requirement by the troop committee to pay a higher annual registration fee.

 

2.4.   Section 2.3. does not apply to any scout who joined on or after September 1 of the fund raising year.  However, minimum requirements will still have to be met in order to participate in the credit program described in the following sections.

 

3.      Credits for Participation above the Minimum Hours

 

3.1.   If a scout and his parent(s) participate in the minimum number of fund raising hours the troop treasurer will issue a credit to the scout which can be used by the scout for any of the following:

 

3.1.1.      Payment of all or a portion of summer camp fees.

3.1.2.      Payment of all or a portion of annual registration fee.

3.1.3.      At the discretion of the treasurer, payment of other special fees and expenses related to troop, district or council events.

 

3.2.   Credits shall only be used for scout expenses and in no event may be used to offset any expenses of adult parents.

 

3.3.   Under no circumstances can credits be redeemed for cash or used for non-scouting purposes.

 

3.4.   The troop treasurer will issue credits once a year during the first two weeks of December, covering the prior fund raising year.

 

4.      Formula for Determining Value of Credits

 

4.1.   For each fund raising event, exclusive of the sale of items (e.g. candy bars, Holiday wreaths etc.) by individual scouts (see Section 5), the chairman of the event shall record the number of adult hours served by  parents, grandparents, and guardians of a scout for that event and provide that information to the troop treasurer.

 

4.1.1.      For purposes of this section, the treasurer shall provide a scout credit a maximum of two adults (parents, grandparents, or guardians) who work at any given fund raising event.

 

4.2.   During the course of the fund raising year, the treasurer will:

 

4.2.1.      Keep a running total of parent hours served

4.2.2.      Maintain a record of the net profit for each qualifying fund raising activity.

 

4.3.   On or about December 1 of each year, the treasurer will calculate the credits due as follows:

 

4.3.1.      75% of all net profits (income less expenses, if any) will remain with the troop treasury for normal operational expenses.

4.3.2.      25% of all net profits will be distributed as credits to be used in accordance with Section 3.

4.3.3.      Each scout shall be credited with the total number of parent hours worked in the fund raising year less the six-hour minimum requirement (qualifying hours).

4.3.3.1.              If the scout has not participated in his minimum hours during the fund raising year, no parent hours shall be credited.

4.3.4.      The collective number of parent hours worked (for all families) under Section 4.3.3. Will be divided into the 25% net profit number.  The resulting number will be multiplied by the number of qualifying hours worked by the parents of each scout.  This will be the credit that will be issued to each scout.

 

 

5.      Other Fund Raising Events

 

5.1.   Sections 2 through 4 do not apply to fund raising activities where a scout  or adult individually sells an item or service as part of a troop fund raising program.

 

5.2.   For these types of fund raising activities, the troop committee may establish minimum sales requirements for that activity and may establish additional credit incentives on an event-by-event basis.

 

6.      Termination of Credits

 

6.1.   If a scout leaves the troop for any reason with outstanding credits issued or accrued, all credits are forfeited.

 

6.1.1.      An exception to this rule is that credits may be transferred to a sibling who is remaining with the troop.

 

6.2.   Unused credits will expire 24 months from the date of issue by the troop treasurer.

 
Revised 10/30/07.
Email Troop 447 at R. Bohonek or Chris Cooper