Twenty-six resolutions, supported by 45 co-sponsors, were timely submitted to the Resolutions Committee for consideration and review at this meeting. An additional resolution was untimely and not considered, as it was submitted after the deadline.
Twenty-four of the individual resolutions will be assigned to other committees for their review and action. These other committees have the skills, knowledge, and most important, responsibility for the topic/issue addressed in the resolutions that have been assigned to them.
Two are being referred to the BSA's Office of General Counsel for further research and consideration, as they specifically deal with intellectual property issues regarding BSA logos and literature. This is consistent with our bylaws and our past practice.
Because of the volume and the length of the resolutions submitted, we are not going to read every resolution. The resolutions fall within 11 categories:
(A) Fees. One resolution-assigned to the Executive Committee
(B) Insurance. Two resolutions-assigned to the Insurance Subcommittee
(C) Literature. One resolution-assigned to the BSA general counsel
(D) Logo/Patch. One resolution-assigned to the BSA general counsel
(H) Resignation of Entire National Executive Board. One resolution-assigned to the Nominating Committee
(I) Resignation of National Key 3. Five separate resolutions and one co-sponsor-assigned to the Nominating Committee
(J) Transition Time for Scout Executive (primarily). One resolution-assigned to the Human Resources Committee
(K) Violent Acts. One resolution-assigned to the Youth Protection Committee
Resolutions Committee Members
R. Ray Wood-Chairman
Robert LaFortune
Dick Burdick
Richard Mathews-General Counsel and Advisor
Whatever happens on Thursday I hope the National Leadership and Professional Scouters remember that listening to the volunteers and scouts is a major part of their jobs. There is a great new openness in scouting, councils and members are speaking out without fear of retribution and hopefully, secret committees are a thing of the past.
This issue is not going to just go away. We'll know Thursday afternoon which station the roller coaster is stopping at and then we'll all have to decide what to do next.
The following is the letter we prepared for the local Councils:
We ask that our council delegates vote for the resolution proposed and endorsed by the executive board of the BSA at the national meeting in May 2013. While it falls short of fully supporting and protecting youth it supports and protects youth better than the existing policy.
Text of Proposed Resolution
We also ask that our council delegates support the Mount Diablo-Silverado Council's (MDSC) proposed resolution:
WHEREAS, all Scouts and Scouters should be judged by their conduct, their actions, and their character that is consistent with the Scout Oath and Scout Law, and
WHEREAS, the Scout Oath and Scout Law are foundational ideas that every person should be exposed to so that all people can benefit from the Scouting movement's principles, ideas and values, and
WHEREAS, sexual topics and conduct, which includes pointing out another individual's sexual orientation, are not part of the Scouting movement, and
WHEREAS, the Scouting movement is not to be used as a vehicle to promote any personal, political, social or other objective that is inconsistent with the Scout Oath and Scout Law, and
WHEREAS, excluding an entire group of people based on stereotypes and prejudices is inconsistent with the Scout Oath and Law, and therefore be it
RESOLVED that the Boy Scouts of America amend its membership policy and remove the words, "Open and avowed homosexuals"
If the MDSC resolution is not presented for a vote, we ask our council delegates to support any similar resolution that is put forth.
Yours in Scouting,
Wendell Baker (Scoutmaster - Moraga Troop 234 - MDSC)
Jon & Tina Chambers (Parents - Moraga Troop 246 - MDSC)
James McFeely MD (Scoutmaster - Orinda Troop 57 - MDSC)
Eric Andresen (Former Committee Chair - Moraga Troop 212 - MDSC)
Karen Andresen (Parent - Moraga Troop 234 - MDSC)
Steve Israel (District Chairman - Aklan District - MDSC)
Tony Paolier (Den Leader - Moraga Pack 351 -MDSC)
Kurt Wharton MD (ASM - Lafayette Troop 224 - MDSC)
Ken Sullivan (Scoutmaster - Clayton Troop 484 - MDSC)
William Dow (Parent - Moraga Pack 351 -MDSC)
Chris Farnitano MD (Scoutmaster - Pleasant Hill Troop 239 - MDSC)
Mark Fenske (ASM - Moraga Troop 234 - MDSC)
Yette, Stewart, & Jack Prizeman (Parents & Scout - Moraga Troop 234 -MDSC)
Peter Gruebele (Cubmaster - Moraga Pack 351 - MDSC)
Jamie Mount (Parent - Moraga Pack 351 - MDSC)
William Kwong (Den Leader - Foster City Pack 447 - PSC)
Mark Theiding (Parent - Alameda Pack 1076 - Alameda Council)
George Gaebler (Scoutmaster - El Cerrito Troop 104 - MDSC)
Steve Tennant (Committee Chair - Orinda Troop 57 - MDSC)
Laurie Tennant ( Parent - Orinda Troop 57 -MDSC)
Pauline Proffett (Parent - Lafayette Pack 220/Troop 200 - MDSC)
Matt Fabela (Parent - Lafayette Pack 220/Troop 200 - MDSC)
David Finger (ASM - Orinda Troop 57 - MDSC
Len Bjeldanes (ASM - El Cerrito Troop 104 - MDSC)
Sally Fraser (Parent - El Cerrito Troop 104 - MDSC)
Noelle Harrison (Parent - Orinda Troop 57 - MDSC)
Mike Bernhardt (Committee Member - Moraga Troop 234 - MDSC)
Bonnie Hazarabedian (Advancement Chair - Aklan District - MDSC)
Alicia Murray (Parent/Treasurer - Moraga Troop 234/Pack 54 - MDSC)
Carol Emert (Parent - Oakland Pack - SFBAC)
Will Kuehn (Parent/Volunteer - Troop - MDSC)
Sylvia Wikler Finger (Parent - Orinda Troop 57 -MDSC)
Mark Clough (Scoutmaster - Corralitos Troop 515 - SVMBC)
Alan Stanek (Scoutmaster - Kensington Troop 100 - MDSC)
Michael Dotson (Scoutmaster - San Francisco Troop 88 - SFBAC)
Maya Goehring-Harris (Parent - Alameda Pack 14 - Alameda Council)
Judy Porat (Parent - Oakland Pack 274 - SFBAC)
Rev. Laura Rose (Pastor First Congregational Church - Alameda Council)
Irwin Horowitz (Advancement Chair - Herms District - MDSC)
Jason and Karen Kondracki (ASMs - El Cerrito Troop 104 - MDSC)
Cheryl M. Ku (Parent - Moraga Troop 234 - MDSC)
Rabbi Judy Shanks (Rabbi - Lafayette Temple Isaiah - MDSC)
Michele Dauber (Parent - Los Altos Troop 37 - PSC)
Kathleen Roskos (Parent/Volunteer - Los Altos Troop 37 - PSC)
Scott Selover (Parent/Volunteer - Los Altos Troop 37 - PSC )
Peter Moran (ASM/Crew Leader - Los Altos Troop/Crew 37 - PSC)
Elise Perelman (Parent - Oakland Pack 274 - SFBAC)
Keller Strother (Eagle Scout/Parent - Moraga Troop 234 - MDSC)
Heather Grillmeyer (Former Den Leader/Parent - Oakland Pack 274 - SFBAC)
Stephen Grillmeyer (Den Leader - Oakland Pack 274 - SFBAC)
Suzanne Kasso (Parent - Los Altos Troop 37 - PSC)
Ryan Cheung (Den Leader - Oakland Pack 274 - SFBAC)
Gehan Cheung (Parent - Oakland Pack 274 - SFBAC)
Linda Owczarz (Parent - Oakland Pack 274 - SFBAC)
Marcin Owczarz (Parent - Oakland Pack 274 - SFBAC)
Heather Ashcroft (Parent - Oakland Pack 274 - SFBAC)
Dylan Cardiff (Parent - Oakland Pack 274 - SFBAC)
Sean O'Steen (Den Leader - Walnut Creek Pack 464 - MDSC)
Muriel & Bruce Amsden (Volunteers - Moraga Troop 234 - MDSC)
Robert Raffel (ASM/Den Leader - Lafayette Troop 200/Pack 200 - MDSC)
Rick Prime (Scoutmaster - Oakland Troop 202 - SFBAC)
(Scouts for Equality - Golden Gate)
[Signatures as of May 18, 2013]
