Top 20 Mistakes Made On Recharters
These are in no specific order.
- Recharter is signed by someone other than the Unit Leader (Den Leader,
Member of the Committee or someone not even listed on the charter.
- Information not updated. One youth had the wrong address for three years
and finally his mother called to find out why he wasn't getting his Boys'
Life that had been paid for. When the address was checked, she said that
they had moved three years ago. The unit never checked or changed anything.
Check birth dates and phone numbers, too.
- If someone has a birth date of 01/01/1900--this is a date I made up in
order to get the application into the computer. Check the youth birth dates,
too. Sometimes it isn't clear or people write over a number, and I have to
guess.
- Mark Boys' Life clearly. If a boy was getting the magazine and now is NOT,
make sure it is very evident that it is crossed off.
- If you accidentally delete a person, write the information above the
crossed off portion. This way I am sure what you are doing. If you cross
someone out, don't black it out, we need to be able to read the name. Just
draw a single line through the whole line.
- Make sure all the positions are filled. Each Unit needs a Unit Leader (CM,
SM, VC, NL), a Chartered Organization Representative (CR), a Committee
Chairman (CC), TWO Members of the Committee (MC), and in the case of a Pack,
a Den Leader, Webelos Leader, and Tiger Leader if you have boys in those
programs. The CR is the ONLY person who can multiple into another
position--CR/CC or CR/MC.
- Register in the program where you want to get your mail. For persons
registering in more than one unit, pick the one where you will get your
Scouting Magazine and multiple into the other. It's like playing cards, a SM
in a troop would be greater than a MC in a Pack.
- When you say you are a multiple, please let us know where you are paid. It
will save time for us if we don't have to hunt you down.
- Correct fees. This is a big problem and will be more so in 2003 when the
fees change. Make sure people know that youth/adult fees are $10 for 2003.
Boys' Life is still the same at $9
- Make sure all adult applications are signed by the correct people.--the CR
and CC for all programs. The District Executive will sign the applications
when he reviews the charter.
- For people who are using electronic rechartering--DO NOT use any
punctuation. I know we all were taught to use periods, apostrophes, and
dashes, but not in ScoutNet. It may look funny, but at least we will be able
to find you in the computer. This system is very particular--it only gives
you what you ask for--so if I put the information in as Obrien and you put
it in as O'Brien, I'm not going to find you.
- Do not use an initial for the first name. National is pushing this,
especially for adults, so no M Ann Goertz.
- Use the overflow sheet ONLY for youth/adults whose applications were
turned into the Council Office AFTER the charter was run. If a person is on
the charter, no need for a new application. Application not turned into the
Office, turn it in with the charter.
- Mark changes of position clearly, otherwise I might guess wrong. This also
goes back # 6, when you are making changes in position, make sure all the
positions are filled.
- If you are using the electronic form for rechartering, make sure you use
the same name that was on the application--you may know Skylar as Buddy, but
I don't and his application said Skylar.
- A person cannot just say "I am with Pack 000 and now I'm also a
member of Troop 111. You either need to transfer to that unit, or give me an
application with the proper signatures so that you can multiple into that
unit.
- For LDS units, it is not an automatic thing for a youth to be moved up to
the next program. Either he transfers during the year--application needed,
or he joins the new unit at recharter time--application needed. There is a
pattern here--applications are needed for just about anything.
- Counting. Whether it be the number of people or the number of Boys' Life
Magazines, people miscount and that results in wrong totals for fees. Count
and count again. There can also be a discrepancy between the number written
on the front of the recharter and the actual number. I might count fifteen
Boys' Life Magazines, and on the front will be 18. The charter has 25
boys--who gets the three? Or the opposite may be true--I count 18, the front
says 15, where is the extra money?
- Quality Unit. The form says that you have to have a REGISTERED assistant
(CA, SA, VA, NA). This does NOT mean Mr. Smithers, who is registered as a
MC, has been doing the job. He has to be REGISTERED in that position for it
to count.
- And last, but not least, a charter has to be in and paid for by 12/31/02
to be considered as an on-time unit.
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