Boy Scout Troop 1492 Mission Statement:
-To provide for the enrichment and growth of Scouts in this Troop so that they may have
the opportunity to become accomplished Boy Scouts and adults.
-To help Scouts acquire leadership skills that will aid them throughout their lives.
-To maintain an organization with an outdoor focus that provides ample opportunities to help guide and influence the Scouts in a positive and healthy manner.
-To promote a sense of community at the local and national levels with a focus on citizenship and personal responsibility.
-To promote and maintain a standard of the highest possible personal conduct- at both the adult and Scout level, providing genuine examples of the Scout Law and Oath.

Note: The By-Laws contained within this document are not intended to supersede or conflict with the regulations and standards of the Boy Scouts of America, but are intended to provide Troop 1492 an established and agreed upon form of operations consisting of the following:

Troop Organization:
1. Troop 1492 will have a committee whose responsibilities will include providing for the support of the Boy Scouts, to help guide and direct Scouts on the Scout path, and to provide direction, inspirational and structural guidance, and the financial support/basis required to meet these goals.
2. The primary responsibility of the Scoutmaster of Troop 1492 shall be the Scouts’ safety, development, and advancement within the parameters of the Boy Scout organization. The Scoutmaster is responsible to report to the Committee regarding operations concerns, situations requiring Committee action, or issues that are observed within the Troop setting that justify Committee consideration and discussion and possible action.
3. Specific committee position guidelines will be provided to all new committee members outlining the individual committee member roles and responsibilities.

Adult Conduct:
1. The Scoutmaster and adult leaders and parents who participate in any Scout activity must maintain the highest standards of personal behavior, consisting of the following:
a. No foul language is permitted.
b. No sexist or sexual harassment statements or inappropriate behavior will be tolerated at any time.
c. No belittling or unkind treatment of any Scout or adult in the Troop setting.
d. No consumption of alcohol or any other mind-altering (non-prescription) substance is permitted at any Troop sponsored activity as specified in BSA regulations. Any Scout or adult found breaking these rules shall be asked to leave and will not be allowed to participate in future Scout activities. This rule also restricts any person, under the influence of alcohol or other mind-altering (non-prescription) substance, from attendance at a Troop sponsored activity – consequences of such behavior is the same as consumption of alcohol at a Troop sponsored event.
e. No adult member or leader is allowed to lay their hands upon a Scout for the purpose of discipline. Any required discipline carried out by the Scoutmaster or other adult leader, relative to misbehavior by a Scout, will consist of one of following, or equivalent, action: 1) assigning the Scout a time out, 2) assigning some form of physical activity for the Scout to perform (like running a lap around the church), 3) not allowing the Scout to engage in group activities, or 4) sending a Scout home from a meeting or activity, 4) suspending a Scout from one or more future meetings. The nature of the consequences will fit the seriousness of the behavior issue. No physical discipline or aggression is permitted at any time between a parent and a Scout during Troop sponsored activities.
f. Any adult exhibiting behavior regarded as unfit or a potential risk to the health and wellbeing of the Troop, as determined by a majority vote of the committee, will not be allowed to participate in Scout activities.
g. Adult leaders, Committee members, and Scout parents will treat each other in a respectful manner at all times, demonstrating the Scout Oath and Law, practicing what we preach, as living examples to the Scouts, each other, and the community we live in. Our conduct will always be in line with the required Scout Conduct guidelines listed below. Any conduct outside of these parameters will be brought before the Committee for appropriate action.
h. In compliance with BSA rules, no adult may be alone with any Scout at any time (except their own son) – Two-deep leadership is required. No adult may sleep in a tent or other isolated/separate joint arrangement with any other Scout unless it is their son. Any physical contact between adults and Scouts is to be “appropriate” as would deemed so if such contact were observed by the Scout’s parent.

Scout Conduct:
Scouts must maintain proper conduct to remain active in Troop 1492’s program.
1. Personal conduct consists of the following:
a. No foul language, sexual comments, or lewd behavior will be tolerated.
b. No aggression or violence will be tolerated.
c. Teasing or hazing is not permitted, the Troop is based on teamwork, mutual respect, and a sense of belonging, and no Scout shall be singled out for abuse of any kind.
d. Scouts are responsible for bringing problems they or the Troop are having to the immediate attention of the Scoutmaster. If the Scout does not feel the Scoutmaster addresses their concern, the Scout is encouraged to bring the problem to the attention of a Committee member.
e. Disrespect of authority is not permitted. Situations in scouting require Scouts to comply with all reasonable requests. A Scout with ongoing attitude problems risks losing his continued participation. The Scoutmaster has immediate authority to remove a Scout from participation in group events if they are exhibiting any of the above behaviors. Ongoing behavior problems will be reported by the Scoutmaster to the Scout’s parent(s) and the Committee.
f. It is the intention of these by-laws to allow the Scouts to work together to establish a clear set of Troop behavioral guidelines (Conduct Code) with consequences, both positive and corrective as appropriate (with help, supervision, and guidance from the Scoutmaster),. This subsequent agreement will be added to the by-laws at a future time. The Scouts will be held accountable for following this Conduct Code at all Scout activities and expected to maintain this standard of behavior in their daily lives.

Troop finance goals and organization:
1. 1492 will maintain both a general fund and individual Scout accounts to provide for the Scouts’ financial needs.
2. Fund raisers will be organized and conducted to provide funds for both these accounts with the current percentage split 40/60 with the Scouts who participate, dividing 60% of the proceeds based on hours worked. The percentage split may change in the future if approved by the Committee. A Scout must be a paid, registered member for one month before he can receive a fundraiser percentage split.
3. Scouts will pay monthly dues in the amount of $15.00, due on the first Tuesday of every month. Payment in full for one year will result in a 10% discount of the total amount due. Three months of unpaid dues can place a Scout on inactive status.
4. It is the responsibility of a Scout with financial hardship needs to approach the Scoutmaster, who in turn, will bring this situation to the attention of the Committee. It is the intention of Troop 1492 to be inclusive and keep all Scouts active and participating in the Troop. Every attempt will be made to provide financial relief for those who require it.
5. The purpose of Scout dues is for the Scout to actively support the Troop, to earn his way in an appropriate fashion, thus learning how to work for a goal and learning how to be responsible for his own and his teams needs.

Finance - Scout Accounts:
1. Money in individual Scout accounts will be controlled by the Scout with the use of the funds requiring approval by the Committee.
2. Money from individual accounts can be used to pay dues, buy Scout related equipment or Troop activity related supplies. The Scout account within 1492 is also intended as a savings account to provide funds for major Troop activities democratically selected by the Scouts.
3. A Scout who moves or decides to join a different Troop will have the option of transferring his account funds to his new Troop account. These circumstances would require proof of transfer to another Troop and the funds would be directly transferred to that Troop, not to the Scout.
4. A Scout that quits scouting entirely, forfeits these funds. The forfeited funds would go directly into the general fund of the Troop.
5. A Scout that reaches Eagle Rank will have the option of applying his funds to: an educational account, or with approval of his parents, another activity that needs funding. It is the intention of the leadership of 1492 that all boys have the opportunity, support, and encouragement to attain the rank of Eagle Scout.
6. Personal funds may be applied to Scout accounts to supplement the account for an activity or event.

General Fund:
1. The purpose of the general fund account is to provide monetary support for Scout-related activities and future projects. The account will also be used to acquire supplies and equipment to be owned and controlled by Troop 1492.
2. Use of the general fund must be approved by the committee members comprising a majority vote.
3. No cash is allowed to be removed from the general fund unless expressly approved by the Committee in advance by a majority vote.
4. Expenditure of personal funds must be pre-approved by majority vote of the Committee. Receipts are required for reimbursement of personal funds
5. An annual report will be provided at the beginning of each calendar year detailing the revenues and expenditures for the year. All parents of registered Scouts of 1492 are entitled to a copy of this report.
6. Checks written from the general fund require two authorized signatures. All expenditures require prior approval by a majority vote of the Committee (no less than three members present to hold a vote).
7. All materials, equipment, and/or supplies purchased with the general fund or direct donations to the Troop are property of Troop 1492 and will be controlled by the Leadership herein.
8. The percentage of funds allotted to the general fund will be at the discretion of the Committee in conjunction with long and short term goals.
9. Scouts must attend fundraisers and check in and out to guarantee funds are deposited to their accounts. No funds will be credited to a Scout account, from a specific fundraising event, if the Scout fails to attend and actively participate in the event.
10. The general fund will be maintained at no lower than $1000.00.

Troop Operations:
1. Annual plan:
a. The Troop will provide the Committee an annual plan by December 1st of each year. The committee will discuss the feasibility of each activity outlined in the plan and report back to the Troop. The goal is to have the Troop submit the plan proposal by December 1 of each year and have the plan ratified by January 31 of the succeeding year. This is the first annual order of business for the Troop and must be completed per the above schedule.
b. Funds will need to be budgeted for each scheduled minor and major Troop activity. Ideally, money will be allotted for each event in advance. Both the Scouts and the Committee members are responsible to contribute efforts to organize and finance these events.
c. Courts of Honor will be held Quarterly and will be scheduled in the annual plan.
d. Major events will also be scheduled in the annual plan. This includes major Scout camps and events within the District.
2. Attendance:
a. Scouts holding major leadership positions (Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, and Patrol Leader) must maintain an 80% attendance record at all Scout activities and Scout meetings.
b. Scouts that belong to an organized sports team will get Troop meeting attendance credit when engaging in a sanctioned sporting event that is held on the same night as a Scout meeting.
c. The Senior Patrol Leader and Patrol Leaders are required to call the Scoutmaster a minimum of 2 hours in advance if they will be missing a regularly scheduled meeting or Troop activity. This notice will help provide time for the assistant leader(s) to prepare for meeting leadership.
3. Troop elections guidelines:
a. Term of office - Each Scout leader will hold his position for six months and cannot hold the same office for two consecutive terms.
b. Scouts may be nominated for Troop leadership positions by their peers or they may nominate themselves.
c. Scouts will have one month notice of upcoming elections. Scouts running for office will present themselves one week in advance of elections in order to give other Scouts enough time to select the candidate of their choice.
d. Scouts will have the option of addressing the Troop and stating their case for the leadership position they want to occupy.
e. Election format – The following positions are elected in the order listed: Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, and Patrol Leader. The remaining Troop positions are open for Scout request and will be selected by the Patrol Leader council in concert with the Scoutmaster. The Scoutmaster can veto a candidate for a leadership position based on behavior or attendance issues. Such veto shall be presented to the Committee with appropriate justification. A Scout may hold more than one office at a time if no other Scout (not holding an office) is interested in the position.
f. A Scout must be a registered member in good standing in attendance and dues for one month in order to vote for or apply to occupy a Troop position.
g. A Scout leader may be removed from leadership with a majority vote of Scouts with the approval of the Scoutmaster and Committee. In addition, the Scoutmaster can also ask the Committee for the removal of any Scout from office with supporting justification.
4. Be Prepared: The Scoutmaster and Patrol Leaders’ Council will plan each outing and activity and provide the Committee a list of required supplies and group outing details.
5. Advancement:
a. Scouts will be allowed to advance in rank at their own individual pace within the guidelines specified by BSA.
b. Scouts may acquire rank based on verified accomplishment.
c. The Scoutmaster is responsible for determining that a Scout has completed all of the requirements for a specific rank, and has met the Scout spirit requirement (Scoutmaster Conference). Following successful completion of the Scoutmaster Confererce, the Advancement Board of Review is responsible for final signoff for Scout advancement to each successive rank. This provides a check and balance system for consistency of all rank advancement in the Troop.
d. A key parameter in Advancement for each rank is: Demonstration of Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life. Based on a good record of “Scout Conduct” as described above, a Scout will be signed off on this requirement. If a Scout has demonstrated poor “Scout Conduct,” rank advancement can be delayed until the conduct has improved to acceptable levels. This parameter is judged during the Scoutmaster conference.
e. Eagle rank will be determined by the local district board. Eagle candidates must organize and present themselves to this local board.

Approval and Agreement of these bylaws:
These By-Laws must be signed by each Boy Scout and all adult leaders, parents, and participating adults connected with Troop 1492. An electronic copy of the bylaws will be emailed to every member of the Troop (Leaders, Committee Members, Parents, Scouts).

A majority vote is defined as a minimum of 3 members of the committee meeting in a regularly scheduled Committee session. These By-Laws are subject to change by a majority vote of the Troop Committee. These By-Laws will be reviewed by the Committee a minimum of once per year in January.

TROOP 1492 BYLAWS SIGNATURE PAGE (7/10/08 VERSION) – Each Troop Leader, Committee Member, Scout Parent and Boy Scout of Sequim Community Church Boy Scout Troop 1492 is required to read, sign, and abide by these bylaws.

I certify that I have read and understand the above listed bylaws of Troop 1492. I agree to abide by these bylaws and support Committee enforcement of any and all consequences described for infractions of one or more of the bylaws.