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Dear Scouters,

Please see below excerpts of a communication that the Black Swamp Area Council received late yesterday (September 17, 2019) from the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America regarding yet to be determined membership fee increase. 

The timing of the information is very unfortunate, with the impending recharter/registration renewal, coupled with the uncertainty of the amount of the fee increase.   The National Council has shared that this is directly tied to the significant cost increase of the liability insurance that is carried to cover all official Scouting activities.  Please note that this is not a local decision and our council does not charge a local registration or insurance fee.  With that said, personally we know that the National Council is reviewing all options to minimize the impact, while maintaining the needed resources and requirements to support the Scouting movement. 

As soon as more information becomes available, our council will share that information.  Please note that our council will work diligently so that no young person is turned away from Scouting because they cannot afford the registration fee.

Below are the excerpts from the communication received from the National Council: 

“To:  Scout Executives

As we evaluate the growing cost of delivering the Scouting program, a vision team of volunteers and staff from across the country is considering the best way forward that will likely require us to implement a national membership fee increase for youth members and adult leaders as of January 1, 2020. This prospective change is being driven by the significant cost increase of the liability insurance we must carry to cover all official Scouting activities.

We do not know the amount of the increase at this time since this requires National Executive Committee input and approval.

Please know that we are only considering this change out of necessity, and we are committed to ensuring that all youth can experience the character-building benefits of Scouting regardless of their financial situation.”

 

“We recognize the timing of this likely fee increase creates challenges as units have already begun collecting fees for their 2020 registration renewal process. We sincerely apologize and hope you understand that we would not be pursuing this path were it not absolutely necessary to ensure the BSA can continue carrying out its mission to serve youth. We are committed to supporting you through this process and are making necessary adjustments to the online rechartering system to ensure units can carry out the normal yearly process with as few issues as possible.

We recognize this is neither easy information to hear, nor to convey, but we want to be transparent as we have information to share so you can prepare your units appropriately. We commit to providing the new registration fee no later than October 23, 2019, which would take effect on January 1, 2020. The rechartering system will still open on October 1st to allow units to do their roster work.

A brief FAQ is attached, and additional information will be available as details are confirmed.”

 

The FAQ mentioned above can be found at this link:

               http://www.blackswampbsa.org/document/membership-fee-increase-faq-9-17-19/194309

As stated above, our council will pass along any additional information as it is released. To be clear, the proposed change will affect the cost of your unit’s recharter/reregistration.  Thank you for all that you do to make today’s youth “Prepared for Life”!

 

Yours in Scouting,

Sherri Garner Brumbaugh                            Michelle Waggoner                        Marc Kogan
Council President                                         Council Commissioner                   Scout Executive

      

Black Swamp Area Council
2100 Broad Avenue, Findlay Ohio
(419) 422-4356