From The Scout Executive:

The rector at my church, St Timothy's Episcopal Church, The Rev. Mimi Lacy, is one of the best administrators I have met. By the way we have the full Family of Scouting at St. Timothy's. She was recently nominated as a candidate for Bishop of the Diocese of East Carolina. Thank God she was not selected. Our parish has new members constantly. There is never any worry about balancing the budget and the parish gives away over $20,000 annually to individuals and other outreach ministries. We just had a campaign, with very little involvement from her, to shrink the size of the capital debt, with the hopes of paying off the debt early and hiring an assistant rector to find more outreach and inreach ministries for the laymen to do. She manages the parish with a strong hand making sure all the theological rules of the church are followed. Church services and sermons are well done and she has high expectations for the performance and participation of every vestry (Board of Deacons) member. Many events happen without her being present or she visits to thank everyone for their work and the caring work the members have shown. You do not see her just out "doing."  Obviously she visits the sick and spends time counseling with individuals and church leaders. Except for Holy Week and Christmas, she works a 40 hour week and gets her job done!

It makes me wonder a lot about how East Carolina Council and most Scout councils are administered. The professional staff is often receives criticism from volunteers when we pick up where volunteers have not been able to complete the entire task. When you see a district executive doing a Friends of Scouting presentation at a unit, it is because a Vice President - Finance, District Chairman, District FOS Chair and District FOS Presenters failed to be available to make the presentation. Unfortunately the outcome is often a professional is accused of only being concerned about raising money when he would prefer being with his family. When you see a District Executive carrying out a school night event, it is usually because a Vice President of Membership, District Chairman, Membership Chairman and Membership Team member was not available or willing to do it. Too often the results are a District Executive is accused of only caring about membership. He or she may be out for the fifth or sixth evening that week.

If the council was administered as my church you would see your district executive at district meetings and occasionally at roundtables. He/ She would be at District Camporees to thank the District Committee for their great job. Much more time would be committed to doing their real job, working with chartered organizations and district committee members. Units would follow the rules about fundraising and tour permits. The district executive would only have to provide support material and record keeping for the Friends of Scouting Campaign. Maybe the professional staff is making a mistake by doing too much in the council and districts. Maybe we ought to be willing to accept more failure just as Scoutmasters allow Scouts in their troop to fell, using it for a teaching lesson (guided discovery). I wonder if it would build stronger districts and take the professional staff out of the line of fire a little more often. Maybe they would even be e thought of as valuable professional who are hard working caring people like Rev Lacy.  Just an interesting thought!!!! 

Council Executive Board Tours ECSR As Part of Board Meeting

On Wednesday, June 24 the East Carolina Council Executive Board held its annual meeting at Camp Boddie. The board meeting was relatively short so that the executive board could tour Camp Boddie and Pamlico Sea Base. The board divided into four different groups and drove through a round robin tour of the entire reservation. Most commented that they really enjoyed the tour and benefited from it. Several who had not seen the reservation for several years commented on how much it has changed and improved.

Please find attached to this article the Consent Agenda, Meeting Minutes and Financial Statements for East Carolina Council, BSA. These items are provided to you so that the actions of the Executive Board may be more transparent to all participants and contributors to the council.