Troop Committee Attendees

[AquilaNegra2]

Who can attend a Troop Committee meeting? Beyond the Committee Members and SM. Specifically, can parents or ASMs attend?

We have the sweetest, gentlest, kindest soul on our committee. Lately, another CM has come down on her a little hard over questions she has, decisions she makes, and choices her Scout has made. Her husband, an ASM, would like to start attending the meetings as an observer. I don't have a Troop Committee Guidebook, and don't know the proper answer. Can someone please quote me chapter and verse one way or the other?

Thanks in advance.

[Mrw]

We welcome anyone to ours.

[FieldSports]

I have not seen any official on it. However, why wouldn't anyone be able to attend? You might not be able to vote (see your by-laws for attendace and voting).

Our leaders attend, parents, youth (sometimes), and usually a few siblings running loose in the area.

[FrankJ]

The committee rules are whatever the charter org says it is. Since most charter orgs. are only vaguely aware that they have a troop, it comes down to what the committee chair and charter org rep think. I do not think you will find anything official on how can attend or how they should work. In any case committee meeting are not the place for individual discussions on scout. The committee chair should be expected to stop that and keep the meeting focused on bushiness. The same if discussions go from committee decisions to personal.

[smtroop168]

All can attend...only members vote. Remember no secret societies in the BSA.

[lifescoutforlife]

All can attend...only members vote. Remember no secret societies in the BSA.

This is how our troop works, at the end of the meeting they ask each ASM if they have anything that they would like to share.

[ronin718]

I've been attending the committee meetings for the last couple of years. I normally go as the stand-in for my committee-member wife, but we have started going together. It's a great way for ASMs/parents to be aware of what's going on behind the scenes.

[jr56]

The troop I belong to opens the committee meeting to any leader or parent who cares to attend.

[ThunderingWind]

The last troop I was a part of operated the Committee usign the official Committee plan laid out by the BSA but also expanded it be a committee of the whole (all parents, and registered adults with the unit).

This worked for them for a very long time until we got a new military family in that had come a very exacting and literal interpretation/operation of every BSA rule, policy and guideline.

Then the unit officailly rewrote the Unit By-laws to add the Committee of the Whole concept and took in some suggestions for the new family as well.

My new Troop wants parents to attend so they are getting "the rest of the story" and info the kids might not be passing along.

[Bill Pitcher]

We ask that all ASM's be present along with ANY parent that wants to attend. We also want the parents to hear "the whole story", share in the planning, and get them to serve on various "weekend committments." This assures we have enough adult coverage, and we find that it is hard for them to say "NO" in front of the whole committee!! We usually have close to 15 at each committee meeting! Also, with the ASM's there, we can easily address each of the patrol needs (each ASM is assigned to a patrol), a hike, a camping trip, or suggestions from the patrol that haven't made it to the every 3 month PLC meetings. The TC meets every month, so communication is faster.