April 27, 2024

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Troop 55 Bylaws: Troop Organization and Responsibilities

 

General Overview:  The organization of Scouting is described in the Troop Committee Guidebook.  Troop 55 is a chartered unit of the Powhatan District of the National Capitol Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

  1. Chartered Organization
    • St. Francis Episcopal Church, Great Falls, VA, the “Chartered Organization”, sponsors Troop 55.  The Troop is rechartered in February of each year.
    • The Chartered Organization Representative is the liaison between Troop 55 and the Chartered Organization.
  2. Troop Committee
    • The Troop Committee Chairperson is appointed by the Chartered Organization Representative and approved by the Chartered Organization annually.  The Troop Committee chairperson is required to be the parent or guardian of an active scout in Troop 55.  The term limit for the Chairperson is four years.
    • Troop Committee consists of volunteer adults who are members of Troop 55.  The duties and responsibilities of the Troop Committee are set forth in the Troop Committee Guidebook.  The Troop Committee Chairman appoints Troop Committee members on an annual basis with the approval of the Chartered Organization representative. The Troop Committee’s operating year will be August 1 to July 31.
    • The Troop Committee Chairman is responsible for organizing the Troop Committee to see that all functions of the committee are delegated, coordinated and completed.  The Troop Committee may be composed of, but is not limited to the appointment of the following individuals: Troop Committee Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Advancement Chairman, Scouting Activities Chairman, Special Events Chairman, Fundraising Chairman, High Adventure Chairman, Communications and Membership Chairman, Chaplain, and two additional members appointed by the Troop Committee Chairman. These members comprise the voting membership of the Troop Committee, except that the Scoutmaster serves without vote. A quorum for the purpose of conducting business shall be a majority of the Troop Committee Membership.
    • Committee Meetings
      1. Troop committee meetings are held monthly at St. Francis Episcopal Church during the program year.  Troop Committee meetings are open to any registered adult member of Troop 55. 
      2. Special meetings may be called by the Troop Committee Chairperson to respond to circumstances that in the chairperson’s judgment require a special meeting or to respond to a special request from the Scoutmaster.  In the case of business that needs to be addressed between regularly scheduled meetings, the Chairman may solicit votes by electronic means.
    • At least one parent of every scout in Troop 55 must play an active role in supporting the troop program. Failure to participate will result in the scout being placed in an inactive status and therefore unable to participate in Troop 55 meetings, outings and events. The Troop Committee will regularly review parental participation and act to ensure that opportunities to support the troop are shared equitably.
  3. Adult Leadership
    • The Scoutmaster is the adult leader responsible for the image and program of the troop.  The Scoutmaster is appointed by the head of the Chartered Organization with the advice and assistance of the Troop Committee. The Scoutmaster is required to be the parent or guardian of an active scout in Troop 55. The term limit for the Scoutmaster is four years. He is responsible to the Troop Committee and the Chartered Organization for overall supervision of and operation of the troop.  He selects and is assisted by adult Assistant Scoutmasters and appoints all youth Junior Assistant Scoutmasters. The Scoutmaster will assign Assistant Scoutmasters who will mentor and assist the Patrol Leaders in all patrol activities.
    • All registered adult leaders are authorized and encouraged to wear the official uniform.  The Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters are expected to wear the official uniform to all scouting functions.
    • Training
      1. District and Council Junior Leader Training may be held at various times during the year.
      2. The Troop will conduct youth leadership training after troop elections.  All troop leaders are expected to attend.
      3. All adults involved in troop activities must comply with the training policies of the Boy Scouts of America, the National Capital Area Council, and the Powhatan District.  A BSA-prescribed course of training is mandatory for the Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmasters, and the Troop Committee Chairperson.  Other required adult training sessions are held throughout the year and information can be obtained from the Troop Committee Chairperson. 
      4. The troop will pay youth and adult training fees for official Boy Scout training
        provided resources are available.
    • Adult troop leaders are expected to attend troop meetings.  A minimum of two adult leaders must be in attendance at all troop meetings to provide safe supervision of the Scouts.
  4. Youth Leadership
    • The youth leadership structure of Troop 55 is organized in accordance with the junior leader organization chart set forth in the Scoutmaster Handbook published by the BSA.
    • The Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) is the elected boy scout leader of the troop.  He is responsible to the Scoutmaster for all troop scout functions.  The Senior Patrol Leader generally must have been a registered member of Troop 55 for at least six months, advanced to the rank of Star, been approved by the Scoutmaster, and been elected to the position of Senior Patrol Leader by a majority vote of boy scouts present at a regularly scheduled troop election meeting.  The Scoutmaster may modify these requirements.
    • Other troop positions of responsibility are Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, Scribe, Librarian, Historian, Quartermaster, Bugler, Chaplain Aide, Den Chief, Instructor or any other positions described in the current edition of Boy Scout Requirements.  The Senior Patrol Leader with the approval of the Scoutmaster appoints boy scouts to these positions.
    • The Patrol Leader (PL) is the elected boy scout leader of the patrol.  He is responsible to the Senior Patrol Leader for the overall operation and conduct of his patrol at all patrol and troop functions.  The Patrol Leader generally must have   been a registered member of Troop 55 for at least six months, advanced to the rank of First Class, been approved by the Scoutmaster, and been elected to the position of Patrol Leader by a majority vote of the boy scouts in his patrol present at a scheduled patrol meeting.  The Scoutmaster may modify these requirements.
    • The Patrol Leader appoints one Assistant Patrol Leader (APL) for that patrol with the counsel of the Assistant Scoutmaster assigned oversight to that patrol.
    • The Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) is the governing body of the boy scouts of Troop 55.  The PLC plans the troop program, delivers the program, and deals with troop and patrol problems.  Its voting membership is the Senior Patrol Leader (Chairman), all Patrol Leaders, and the Assistant Senior Patrol Leader.  The Scribe attends PLC meetings as a non-voting member.  The Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmasters, and Junior Assistant Scoutmasters also attend the PLC.  Any other scouts in leadership positions may be invited, when appropriate, by the SPL to attend and make contributions to the PLC but do not have a vote. 
    • Patrol Leaders Council Meetings
      1. PLC meetings will generally be held the fourth Wednesday of each month at the St. Francis Episcopal Church from 7:30 to 9:00 PM.
      2. All members of the PLC are expected to attend all PLC meetings.  The Scoutmaster or his representative and at least one other adult leader must also be present.
      3. An Annual Planning Session of the PLC is held each July or August to plan the next year’s program in its entirety.  When ready, the program is submitted to the Troop Committee for approval in August or September.
    • The term of office for all positions of responsibility is six months.  A boy scout may hold an office for no longer than two consecutive terms with the exception of the Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, who may serve as long as the Scoutmaster determines.  Regular troop elections will be held semiannually in June (for positions to be effective in August) and February.
    • Troop 55 will annually hold elections to recognize youth and adult candidates for the Order of the Arrow.  Elections will be held at a regularly scheduled troop meeting and be supervised by representatives of the Order of the Arrow.

(Revised March 10, 2009)