December 14, 2018
You may have seen the recent Wall Street Journal article stating that National BSA has hired a bankruptcy attorney for consultation considering the costs of defending sexual abuse lawsuits. I anticipate learning additional information in the days and weeks ahead, and of course will share anything I learn with you.
In a communication released yesterday, National BSA reaffirmed its focus on keeping children safe and delivering our nation’s foremost program of character development and values-based leadership training.
BSA stated its commitment to the social and moral responsibility to fairly compensate victims who suffered abuse during their time in Scouting, and the deep care and concern for all victims of child sex abuse and the proactive steps to help victims heal and prevent future abuse. BSA stresses that at no time in BSA history has the organization knowingly allowed a sexual predator to work with youth and will always seek to act swiftly when alerted to abuse allegations.
BSA is committed to communicate transparently and stated there are no imminent actions or immediate decisions expected by BSA considering the WSJ news story.
I have assembled a few items of information from a Green Mountain Council perspective that may be helpful considering the news story.
It is our hope that the national organization can navigate the difficult waters that many organizations face over a century of existence. In our council, we will stand ready to help - and we will continue our primary focus on bringing high-quality Boy Scouts of America programs to the Scouts, leaders, parents and community organizations in each neighborhood we serve.
You are welcome to call me at the number listed below or email me with thoughts or questions.
Ed McCollin
Scout Executive/CEO
(802) 244-5189
Edward.McCollin@scouting.org
You may have seen the recent Wall Street Journal article stating that National BSA has hired a bankruptcy attorney for consultation considering the costs of defending sexual abuse lawsuits. I anticipate learning additional information in the days and weeks ahead, and of course will share anything I learn with you.
In a communication released yesterday, National BSA reaffirmed its focus on keeping children safe and delivering our nation’s foremost program of character development and values-based leadership training.
BSA stated its commitment to the social and moral responsibility to fairly compensate victims who suffered abuse during their time in Scouting, and the deep care and concern for all victims of child sex abuse and the proactive steps to help victims heal and prevent future abuse. BSA stresses that at no time in BSA history has the organization knowingly allowed a sexual predator to work with youth and will always seek to act swiftly when alerted to abuse allegations.
BSA is committed to communicate transparently and stated there are no imminent actions or immediate decisions expected by BSA considering the WSJ news story.
I have assembled a few items of information from a Green Mountain Council perspective that may be helpful considering the news story.
- The strength of Scouting for over 100 years has been its local domain. Each troop is owned by its charter partner which is typically a place of worship, service club or educational institution. Each Council is locally incorporated in the specific state where it operates.
- The Green Mountain Council is a 501(c)(3) entity incorporated in Vermont. Our Camps, our Council Service Center, our bank funds and investments are owned and controlled by the Green Mountain Council.
- The nature of the relationship for a council with the national BSA organization is that our council is the holder of a charter to conduct the Boy Scouts of America programs in our defined territory.
- Council’s receive no funding from the national organization; in fact, we pay fees to National BSA as a part of our charter agreement and for specific services. We receive value back from the national organization, but we operate as a significantly financially independent not-for-profit organization.
- Areas where we partner with National BSA, for business purposes, include several insurance programs, services for IT and expertise related to camping, Youth Protection and so on. In addition, and important to note is employee benefits such as healthcare and retirement are funded by each council but through programs controlled and operated by National BSA.
- The Green Mountain Council is a strong council in the BSA from perspectives of fiscal health, program quality, board and volunteer dedication and staff commitment and talent.
It is our hope that the national organization can navigate the difficult waters that many organizations face over a century of existence. In our council, we will stand ready to help - and we will continue our primary focus on bringing high-quality Boy Scouts of America programs to the Scouts, leaders, parents and community organizations in each neighborhood we serve.
You are welcome to call me at the number listed below or email me with thoughts or questions.
Ed McCollin
Scout Executive/CEO
(802) 244-5189
Edward.McCollin@scouting.org
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