Cost to Register To Increase

[smtroop168]

The following is a cut and paste from the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America that was communicated electronically to the Keystone Area Council on June 2, 2009:
The BSA Executive Board unanimously passed a resolution at the business meeting on May 22 to increase the traditional membership registration fee for all youth and adults to $15 from its current $10, effective Jan. 1, 2010. The last fee increase, which was from $7 to $10, was in 2003. The Exploring fee remains $10.


A great deal of thought and consideration went into this decision by both the Executive Board and the Membership Fee Task Force led by National Commissioner Tico Perez. Consideration was given to an expected deficit to the National Council operating budget, the impact to program and council support, the necessary funding required over the next several years, the cost of implementing fee increases annually in systems and forms, as well as the overall fees paid by councils. Input was sought and received from staff and volunteers at the council level. Finally, given all these considerations, it was determined that the best approach was to increase the fee to the level chosen and make every effort to hold that level for a period of at least three years.

[SMTroop240]

Just imagine what the cost increases will be like when we have to build all those soccer fields.

[ThunderingWind]

I currently live and have lived in another area that is generally ecomonically challenged. Even though the parents have a solid education, they will only see this as the 50% increase and not a $5.00 increase. They will take their boys out.

[wagionvigil]

It is still cheaper than organized SPorts

[FieldSports]

Anyone ever see what the National expenses and overhead are?? I hope they factored current economic conditions.

I was struck by a recent BP quote (parphrased)........." never let the organization be run by paid professionals, always keep it a volunteer organization"

hmmmm, wise man for his time. Wonder if he was paid a $1,000,000 plus salary to run Scouts.

[wagionvigil]

Once a Kid Joins our Pack they never pay out of pocket again. They transfer to the troop and it just keeps going. Sure they may have to sell another tub or two of popcorn each no big deal.Go to another country and see what scouting cost. WE had a scout spend 6 months in Australia and the initial cost was 150 US and the Troop was huge.So don't give me kids will quit. Ain't goin to happen.

[Mrw]

I would doubt that many of our families even know what portion of their annual recharter dues goes to paying for the National registration. We charge $35 for the first boy and $20 for the second in a family. Then any additional camp fees that are incurred. Much of the fund raising the boys do goes directly back to them to help pay for their camp fees and to buy needed personal equipment if they like. We have a small campership fund for if we know there is a boy who cannot afford to get to summer camp made up of the monies left behind when a boy leaves the troop without spending all he scout dollars.

[alex gregory]

Guys, it's $5. One less foot-long at Subway. It's still an incredible bargain for what the boys get back. I really do not think that folks are going to quit over 500 pennies, and if they do it's because they don't want to tell you the real reason they're quitting.

You can always keep annual dues the same and the troop keeps $5 less.

[Cowboy]

Right on Wagion: I sat down and figured it out about 2 weeks ago. Baseball is going to cost in excess of $950 this year. That is for 7 weeks, not 52. On the other hand, we need to encourage the boys to participate in sports also. I am about as far from a sports nut as you can get, but I do value the teamwork and leadership skills and experience that my son gets from sports.

[wagionvigil]

I am not a sports nut either. But I am a rabid Mountaineer Fan . That being said I do take part in sports. Hiking, Climbing, Kayaking, Swimming,Last time I checked these are also sports they just do not include a ball of some sort These are sports that will help you keep your body fit and at my age that is what I look at.

[FrankJ]

I rather pay a extra five dollars rather than have them charge me 5 cents every time I put "Boy Scout" on a tee shirt.

[ThunderingWind]

One and All:

I do understand that this increase is only $5.00 - the cost of a Subway sandwich, a pack of smokes, etc....and that even with this increase, Scouting is cheaper than most team sports.

That being said, there are people who have a mind set that will ONLY SEE the 50% INCREASE and leave. They will not see the $5.00, they will not see the value, they will only see 50%.

So, we (and I include National) need to see to it that any printed documentation only lists the new fee, never the old fee and never mention 50%. If ANYTHING has to be mentioned, just mention the $5.00.

Your Psych 101 and Marketing 101 classes will have covered this in the first two weeks of the course.