Mission Statement

It is the mission of the Boy Scouts of America (hereinafter referred to as ‘BSA’) to serve others by instilling values in young men, preparing them to make ethical choices during their lives and guiding them to achieve their full potential. The values we strive to instill are based on those found in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. The aims of Scouting are to build character and foster citizenship.

The expectations, roles, and responsibilities of the Troop, Committee and Uniformed Leaders, are described by BSA in the following documents:

• Scouting in the Community: The Chartered Organization
• Troop Committee Guidebook
• The Scoutmaster Handbook
• Boy Scout Troop Program Features
• Guide to Safe Scouting
• Boy Scout Handbook
• Boy Scout Troop Leadership Training Book
• The Senior Patrol Leader Handbook
• Patrol Leaders Handbook

All Committee, Uniformed, and Youth Leadership positions are required to read the documents pertinent to their position, in addition to these By-Laws.

Troop 301 (hereinafter referred to as ‘T301’) follows all rules and guidelines outlined by BSA National, the Suffolk County Council, and the Benjamin Talmadge District. This document expands on these guidelines to define a standard operating process for T301, with the goal of minimizing the time and effort required to determine who does what and how, and maximizing the time and effort spent in support of scouting activities. These By-Laws will be reviewed annually and updated as required.

Initial Implementation

It is recommended that these By-Laws be reviewed openly for a period of at least one month by the existing Chartered Organization, Committee Members, Uniformed Leaders, Scout Leaders, Scouts and Scout Parents. All suggestions, comments, questions, etc. should be compiled by the Committee Secretary and then discussed at a joint meeting of the Chartered Organization Representative, the Committee Members and the Uniformed Leaders. Such changes, as are agreed upon by majority vote of the attendees, will be incorporated and the entire By-Laws voted upon. If passed by majority vote of those attendees, these By-Laws will go into effect immediately. Where changes to pre-existing practices are needed, the provisions will be phased in by the Scoutmaster and Committee Chair, but all should be in place by the December following ratification.

Committee

The T301 Committee may organize its responsibilities however it wishes, and appoint Committee positions and Sub-Committees as necessary, and may call upon the Uniformed Leaders as needed to fulfill them. All Committee Members will serve for one year terms, beginning on January 1st, although their assignments and responsibilities may change whenever needed. There is no limit on the number of consecutive terms a Committee Member may serve.

Committee Chair

With at least one month notification prior to the new effective date, anyone wishing to become Committee Chairperson may apply to the Chartered Organization Representative (COR), or be nominated by another Committee Member or Uniformed Leader; the existing Committee Chair can be considered as well as any new candidates. All candidates need to be active in the Troop, as either a Committee Member or Uniformed Leader, for a period of at least one year in order to be nominated (although that requirement may be waived at the discretion of the COR). The new Committee Chair will be selected by the COR, with consultations as needed with the Chartering Organization, the Committee, and Uniformed Leaders.

Other Committee Members

Parents are encouraged to participate as Committee Members, although the size of the Committee may be restricted with the consent of the COR. Any adult 18 years of age or older is eligible to apply for Committee Membership. The Committee Chairperson may then recommend that candidate to the COR for acceptance.

All Committee Members are subject to annual recertification by the COR on or about January 1st.

Committee Members may resign their positions, or officially take a leave of absence, at any time. The Chairperson can resign as Chair, but still remain a member of the Committee. In the event the Committee Chairperson does not believe that a Committee Member is meeting expectations (or the COR does not believe the Committee Chairperson is meeting expectations) as defined by these By-Laws and BSA National, that Member shall be placed on notice, with clear written direction as to what aspect(s) of their performance must be changed; a re-evaluation should occur at a mutually agreed-upon date no more than 3 months later. A Committee Member can be removed by the Committee Chairperson only after such a period. The Committee Chairperson can be removed by the Chartered Organization Representative only after such a period.

Only in cases where a Committee Member has, or is putting the safety or well-being of any scout in jeopardy, the Committee Chair or COR can immediately remove that member from their position. The member may be re-instated only by the Chartered Organization Representative after consultation with all relevant parties.

Committee Meetings

Committee meetings should be held at least monthly from September through June and additionally as required. The agenda and conduct of such meetings are the responsibility of the Committee Chair. All Committee meetings should include the Scoutmaster (or his representative) as a non-voting member. The Troop Senior Patrol Leader or any other Uniformed Leader or Scout may be invited, also as non-voting members. The exception would be for those meetings directly involving those individuals or positions (e.g., the selection of a Scoutmaster).

Requirements and Expectations

T301 expects Committee Members, including the Committee Chairperson, to:

• Participate in a majority of Committee meetings. A member who misses more than 3 consecutive meetings without the approval of the Committee Chair will be deemed to have resigned from Committee.
• Complete all committee specific BSA online training
• Conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the BSA slogan, oath, and law
• Receive, and when required, obtain re-certification for all BSA required training in a timely manner
• Form a Nominating Committee on November 1st of each year to conduct nominations of all Committee positions and all Uniformed Leader positions
• Hold elections two weeks following the announcement of nominees for all positions
• Announce names of those elected or reselected to positions within the Committee and Uniformed Leaders; and
• Transition those elected to their new positions by January 1st.

Uniformed Leaders

The T301 Uniformed Leaders, including the Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters, may organize their responsibilities however they wish, and appoint responsibilities and subgroups as necessary, and may call upon the Committee as needed to fulfill them. All Uniformed Leaders will serve for one year terms, beginning on January 1st, although their assignments and responsibilities may change whenever needed. There is no limit on the number of consecutive terms a Uniformed Leader may serve.

Scoutmaster

With at least one month notification prior to the new effective date, anyone wishing to become Scoutmaster may apply to the Committee, or be nominated by another Committee Member or Uniformed Leader; the existing Scoutmaster can be considered as well as any new candidates. All candidates need to be active in the Troop for a period of at least one year in order to be nominated, as either a Committee Member or Uniformed Leader (although that requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Committee Chair). The new Scoutmaster will be selected by the Committee Members who will vote by secret ballot, with the winner decided by a simple majority, for review and approval by the COR.

If there is no simple majority, or no qualified candidates, the Committee Chairperson will select an “Acting” Scoutmaster until a qualified candidate or candidates can be located, also with the review and approval of the COR.

Assistant Scoutmaster

Parents are encouraged to participate as Assistant Scoutmasters, although the number may be restricted at the discretion of the Scoutmaster with the agreement of the Committee Chair. Any adult, 18 years of age or older, is eligible to apply for a position of Assistant Scoutmaster. The Committee Chair, after consultation with the Scoutmaster, may then recommend that candidate to the full Committee for acceptance, which will be decided by simple majority vote, for the review and approval of the COR.

All Uniformed Leaders are subject to annual recertification by the Committee and the COR on or about January 1st.

Uniformed Leaders may resign their positions at any time (the Scoutmaster may resign his position, but still remain an Assistant Scoutmaster). In the event the Committee (by majority vote) does not believe that a Uniformed Leader is meeting expectations as defined by these By-Laws and BSA National, that leader shall be placed on notice, with clear written direction as to what aspect(s) of their performance must be changed; a re-evaluation should occur at a mutually agreed-upon date no more than 3 months later. A Uniformed Leader can only be removed from their position by a 2/3 vote of all Committee Members after such a probationary period.

Only in cases where a Uniformed Leader has or is putting the safety or well-being of any Scout in jeopardy, the Committee Chair can immediately remove that leader from their position; in the absence of the Committee Chair, the Scoutmaster may temporarily suspend a Leader, pending action by the Committee Chair. A 2/3 majority of the Committee may vote to override that removal.

Uniformed Leader Meetings

Uniformed Leader meetings should be held at least monthly from September through June, and additionally as required. The agenda and conduct of such meetings are the responsibility of the Scoutmaster. All Uniformed Leader meetings should include the Committee Chair (or his/her designated representative), as non-voting members. The Troop Senior Patrol Leader or any other Scout or Committee Member may be invited, also as non-voting members. The exception would be for those meetings directly involving those individuals or positions.

Uniformed Leader Requirements and Expectations

T301 expects Uniformed Leaders including the Scoutmaster to:

• Participate in a majority of Uniformed Leader meetings. A Uniformed Leader who misses more than 3 consecutive meetings without the approval of the Scoutmaster will be deemed to have resigned as a Uniformed Leader
• Participate in a majority of T301 meetings, events, campouts, and other activities
• Participate in a majority of fundraisers
• Conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the BSA slogan, oath, and law
• Wear Class A uniforms to all official Scout functions, unless that requirement has been specifically waived by the Scoutmaster; and
• Receive, and when required, obtain recertification of all BSA required training in a timely manner.

Troop Youth Leaders

The T301 Youth Leaders, including the Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders, Patrol Leaders, and any other elected or appointed positions, may organize their responsibilities however they wish, and appoint responsibilities and teams as necessary, within the leadership framework for the Patrol Leaders Council as defined by the BSA. All Troop Youth Leaders will serve for one year terms, beginning on January 1st, although their assignments and responsibilities may change whenever needed. There is no limit on the number of consecutive terms a Youth Leader may serve, with the exception of the Senior Patrol Leader who can serve only one full term.

Senior Patrol Leader

Troop elections for the office of Senior Patrol Leader are held annually each December. All scouts in good standing in the Troop are eligible to vote for SPL. A simple majority of votes is required for election. In order to be eligible to run for SPL a Scout must:

• Receive Scoutmaster approval before running for the position;
• Hold the rank of “Star” or above;
• Attend the majority of the Troop Meetings, outside activities and Troop Fundraisers during the six months prior to elections; and
• Agree to attend at least two thirds of all Troop meetings, monthly PLC meetings, outings and other Troop events while holding office.
• Attend (at the Troop’s expense) recommended Leadership training provided by the BSA, Suffolk County Council, or the Benjamin Talmadge District.

Other Troop-wide Positions

All other Troop positions, as defined by BSA National, will be appointed by the SPL with Scoutmaster approval. T301 may have more than one of any of these positions, also with Scoutmaster approval.

In order to hold one of these Troop-wide positions a scout must:

• Have a rank of First Class or higher (ASPL must hold a rank of Star or higher);
• Have attended a majority of the Troop Meetings, outside activities and Troop Fundraisers during the prior six months; and
• Agree to attend at least 2/3 of all Troop meetings, monthly TLC meetings, and outings while holding office.
• If recommended, attend (at the Troop’s expense) recommended training provided by the BSA, Suffolk County Council, or the Benjamin Tallmadge District.

Patrols/Patrol Leaders

The number and size of T301 Patrols will be determined by the SPL, with Scoutmaster approval. The membership of these Patrols can also be adjusted by the SPL with Scoutmaster approval; to maintain Patrol cohesiveness such changes should be minimized. The Patrol Leader is elected by members of their patrol. Patrol leaders elections are to be held in December. The Patrol Leader is responsible for selecting the Assistant Patrol leader, Patrol Scribe and Quartermaster. Requirements for Patrol Leader are as follows:

• Have a rank of First Class or higher; and
• Have attended a majority of the Troop Meetings, outside activities and Troop Fundraisers during the prior six months and agree to attend at least 2/3 of all Troop meetings, monthly TLC meetings, and outings while holding office.

A Patrol Leader for New Scouts Patrol will, when required, be appointed by the Scoutmaster. The Patrol leader for New Scouts must meet the same requirements as all other patrol leaders.

(Exceptions to any or all of the above qualifications may be made at the Scoutmaster’s discretion.)

Patrol Leaders Council

The Patrol Leaders Council (formerly called the TLC, or Troop Leaders Council, by T301), as defined by the BSA, is the actual decision-making organization in the Troop. Participation in the PLC is limited to:

• Senior Patrol Leader (or designee)
• Patrol Leaders (or designees)
• All Troop-wide positions
• Scoutmaster or designee as a non-voting member
• Committee Chairperson or designee as a non-voting member

Their roles and voting privileges are defined by BSA National. At the invitation of the SPL, Troop parents, other scouts, or other adult leaders may attend as non-participating observers.

Youth Leader Requirements and Expectations

A Youth Leader may resign their position at any time while still remaining a member of the Troop. Every Youth Leader should have a performance review held by the SPL, Scoutmaster, and at least one ASM after their first three months in the position. In the event their performance has been seriously deficient, they shall be placed on notice, with clear written direction as to what aspect(s) of their performance must be changed; a re-evaluation should occur at a mutually agreed-upon date no more than 3 months later.

A Youth Leader may be removed from their position by a 2/3 vote of the Uniformed Leaders; a replacement will be named by the SPL (with the Scoutmaster’s approval) to serve in that position until the next election cycle. If a scout ages out of his position, the SPL will appoint a suitable candidate to fill that position until the next election cycle.

Advancements

To participate in the following Advancement Activities, a Scout must:

• Properly wear official BSA Class A Uniform consisting of:
  1. Scout shirt with their current rank
  2. Neckerchief and slide
  3. Belt
  4. green pants or shorts
  5. socks
• Have with him the BSA Scout Handbook, advancement binder, as well as any other required forms and materials; and
• Have attended a majority of the meetings, outside activities and Troop Fundraisers during the previous six months.

Scoutmaster Conference

This must be scheduled in advance with Scoutmaster and at least one ASM, except under extenuating circumstances, to be held on the last regularly scheduled meeting of the month. If the Scoutmaster is not available, at least two Assistant Scoutmasters may conduct the Scoutmaster Conference for all ranks through First Class. All Scoutmaster Conferences for advancement beyond First Class must be performed by the Scoutmaster and at least two ASMs.

Board of Review

This must be scheduled in advance with the Troop Committee Chairperson. The Committee Chairperson or designee (designee only applies for 1st Class rank scouts and lower) will chair the Board of Review. At least two additional Committee Members must serve on the Board of Review. This applies to all rank advancements up to and including Life Scout. The Board of Review for the rank of Eagle Scout Board is run by the District Advancement Committee, Committee Chairperson and Committee Members.

Eagle Court of Honor

All awards and recognitions will be presented to the Scout at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor. The parents of an Eagle Scout or Scouts coordinate their son’s Court of Honor. All Courts of Honor coordinated by scouts parents must have the date and venue approved by the Scoutmaster and Committee Chair. Participation by all T301 scouts is mandatory.

Troop Continuity and Leadership Stability

For purposes of continuity and stability, in both leadership and direction with regard to adults and youth, T301 observes the following customs:

• Following their advancement to the rank of Eagle Scout, any scout not holding another elected or appointed position will be given the position of Junior Assistant Scoutmaster and expected to continue as part of the Troop
• Following their 18th birthday, “aged-out” scouts who have held a Troop-wide position or reached the rank of Eagle are given the rank of Assistant Scoutmaster (or may elect to join Committee instead), and their first year’s Chartered membership fee will be paid by the Troop. While their scholastic or vocational pursuits may prohibit their regular attendance at meetings, they will be maintained on all group mailing lists for as long as they maintain their Chartered membership, for purposes of giving opinions and feedback. When consistently attending T301 meetings, they will be considered full voting members
• Adult Leaders who resign from either Committee or the Uniformed Leaders will be maintained on the Charter and their next year’s Charter membership fee will be paid by the Troop. While no longer expected to attend meetings and events, they will be maintained on all group mailing lists for as long as they maintain their Charter membership, for purposes of giving opinions and feedback. If attending meetings, they will be considered participating but non-voting members; and
• All Adult Leaders and Scouts must be in full Class A uniform when holding such positions.

Code of Conduct

All Scouts and Adult Leaders are expected to live the Scout Oath and Scout Law at all times, not just during Scouting events, and to adhere to the Outdoor Code during all outdoor activities.

Additional codes of conduct for camping trips include:

• Sign in/Sign out sheets with two phone numbers that parents can be reached at during the camping trip will be used;
• All Troop and Patrol equipment must be packed up before any Scout leaves camp;
• The Event Tour Leader and/or Assistant Tour Leader of the event will decide on all issues regarding discipline;
• If parental notification is necessary due to behavior problems, improvement in behavior must be seen or the Scout will not be able to participate in the next outing;
• If behavior necessitates removal of a Scout from an activity, the parents are responsible for picking up the Scout IMMEDIATELY; and
• All permission slips and activity fees must be paid in full by the deadline posted on the sign-up sheet in order to attend that event.

In severe instances, the Scoutmaster and the Committee Chair may temporarily suspend a Scout from T301 for a period of up to three months. Scouts can only be permanently removed from the T301 by a 2/3 vote of the Uniformed Leaders and agreement of the Committee Chair.

Annual Dues

The Troop charges annual dues. These dues cover re-Chartering fees, badges, and the general operation of the Troop. Dues are paid annually and should be paid to the Treasurer no later than the second Thursday in October. Dues MUST be up to date for the Scout to participate in outside activities and advancement, unless prior permission has been given by the Committee Chair.

These dues do NOT cover transportation, activity fees, food, or other items. There will be other fees required for certain Patrol and Troop activities.

Fundraising

The Troop sponsors several events each year that requires fundraising. Some of the Troop sponsored activities are our annual Garbage-Can Turkey Cookout in November, Troop Family BBQ, end of year picnic, as well as a pizza party during Baiting Hollow Summer Camp. All scouts are expected to participate in fundraising. Participation in Fundraising is required for all Rank Advancements.

Parental Involvement

An active Troop needs volunteers to be successful and provide our youth the best possible scouting experience. In addition to becoming a Committee Member or Uniformed Leader, parents are encouraged to participate by serving as merit badge counselors, event coordinators and assistants for fundraising activities. Most importantly, parents are encouraged to provide transportation to and from all T301 outings. All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend T301 outings, except for those where such attendance may be limited by the SPL, Scoutmaster, or Committee Chair.

Last updated January 4 2010.