Troop 81 Committee Meeting Minutes - October 16, 2002

Attendees: John Benavides, Bonnie Branch, Tom Schob, Ed Nichols, George
Kerr, Dan Lassiter, Dave Knust, Rick Montgomery, Charlie Hood, Craig
Christensen, Carter Hampton, Rita Bonds, Pat Kelly
Scouts: Jesse Benavides, Evan Knust
Chair: Mark Steger
Minutes: Mark Steger

1. Calendar
     Oct 19-20: Oak Leaf Junior Leader Training (for 1st Class and
above)
     Oct 21: Troop meeting
     Oct 25-27: Campout
     Oct 28: PLC
     Oct 30: Deadline for popcorn sales orders
     Nov 2: Junior Leader training (for 1st and 2nd year Scouts)
     Nov 4: Troop meeting (Webelos invited)
     Nov 11: Troop meeting
     Nov 13: Troop committee meeting (one week early)
     Nov 15-17: Campout

2. Treasurer - Sharon Hood
     o September report
       - 2 months YTD income is $11,358. Expenses are $10,302.
     o Fundraising
       - Popcorn orders are due October 30. Last troop meeting before
	 the deadline is October 21.
       - Possibility of pie sales in November is being investigated.
       - Carter Hampton suggested the troop work with Albertsons to
         designate Troop 81 as the beneficiary of the use of Albertson's
         Preferred Savings Card.

3. PLC - Jesse Benavides
     o The September campout was popular. But campsites were not laid
       out well. Quartermaster didn't know the needs of each patrol ahead of
       time. Not all Scouts were in Class A uniform for the trip home.
     o November campout plans were presented to PLC.

4. Roundtable - Ed Nichols
     o Information on High Adventure camps was presented.
     o Order of the Arrow participation is down. OA members, consider
       giving something back to Scouting by becoming active in OA.

5. Campouts - Craig Christensen
     o October 25-27  (Fishing/Biking - Colbaugh Farm, Oklahoma)
        - Information sheet was given to Scouts at Oct 14 meeting.
          Information will also be posted on the Web.

     o November 15-17 (Backpacking - Camp Cherokee)
        - Cost: $17 plus grub money (note: MREs for hikers)
        - All Scouts will backpack in from parking lot to base camp.
        - First class Scouts will do an 8 mile backpack hike on
	  Saturday.
	- First year Scouts will have a TFC program at base camp.

     o Rest of camping program
       Dec 27 - Winter Camp (Baloo Bear - Ed Nichols)
       Jan 25 - Military: Ft Sill, OK (Badger)
       Feb 14 - Family Camp: Ft Parker SP (Baloo Bear)
       Mar 22 - Marksmanship: Herrin's ranch (Pyro)
       Apr 5  - One day patrol competitions (Mitchell Hampton)
       Apr 11 - Camporee (Baloo Bear)
       May 3  - Rapelling: location unknown? (Shark)

     o Northern Tier
       - Troop has no crews planned.
     o Sea Base
       - Troop has no boats in 2003.
       - Reservations for 2004 can be made Feb 3, 2003.
     o Philmont - Mark Steger
       - Troop has two treks planned for 2003. Final fee installment is
         due in February
       - Reservations for 2005 can be made November, 2003.

6. Meetings - Dave Knust
     o Kent Metzger will be a guest speaker at the Oct 21 troop meeting.
       His talk will be on backpacks and footwear.

7. Leadership - Tom Schob
     o Three Scouts are signed up for Oak Leaf training Oct 19 at Camp
       James Ray. This is aimed at 1st Class Scouts and above.
     o Junior Leader training is planned for 9-1, Saturday, Nov 2 at
       RBFC. This is aimed at 1st and 2nd year Scouts.

8. Advancement - Bonnie Branch
     o Eagles - Pat Kelly
       - The troop has 27 Life Scouts, 10 of whom are in various stages
         of planning Eagle projects and 10 who have not yet started the
         planning process.
     o God and Me
       - Dave Knust has volunteered to coordinate this religious emblem
         program for Troop 81 Catholic Scouts.

9. Committee - Mark Steger
     o Criminal background checks on adults
       - The Troop Committee unanimously adopted the following amendment
         to Troop 81's bylaws. Adult leaders who have not signed a consent
         form to conduct a criminal background check, please pick one up
         from Mark Steger.

         | Article II, Section 2
         | 4. The Committee shall appoint a standing Leadership
         |   Subcommittee to recruit candidates for Officers as well as
             other adult leaders, as needed, subject to approval of the
	     Officers.
         |   Examples of other positions include, but are not limited
	     to, Patrol Counselors, Adult Quartermaster, Merit Badge
	     Coordinator, Boards of Review, Secretary, Chaplain, etc.
          
         | 5. The responsibilities of all adult leaders shall be
	      documented in the Troop Handbook.
          
         | 6. Adult leadership positions shall have a term of one year,
         |   with renewals allowed and encouraged.
          
         | 7. All adults who work with Scouts (e.g., all adult leaders
	      and all adults who attend overnight camps, except for
	      designated "family" camps) shall be registered with BSA and shall
	      consent to a criminal background check. Reports shall be kept 
         |    confidential, with access available only to the chartered 
         |    organization representative and authorized personnel of
	      RBFC.
          
         | 8. Denial of an application for adult leadership or
	      involuntary
         |    removal of a person from any adult leadership position
	      before term expiration shall only be enacted by decision of the
         |    Committee at a regular committee meeting or by decision of
	      the chartered organization.

Troop 81 Website: http://www.bsa.net/tx/t81

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Mark Steger