OK, quick and to the point question…looking for some different points of view

Our annual dues are $80, they cover recharter, Boy's Life, BG dinner, PWD, materials, awards and some miscellaneous items.

We have 4 families who haven't paid, no commonality in the families, other than they haven't paid. They have been contacted many times, emails, calls and conversations at den meetings….all with the same answer…"I will pay next week" and next week never comes. They disappear…no longer come to meetings, or reply to emails, but there is always one other parent in the pack that says, "I saw soinso, they are really busy"…OK, I get that

At what point to you get "stiff" with them….the other 39 families paid their dues to get the same program, why do these families get a free pass? In my eyes, they don't, and that is where this topic comes in…I am a bit too cut and dried. My email would look like this…

Dear Soinso,

We haven't heard from you about paying your past dues. Your total is $XX.XX. Please make payment by next Friday, so we can close the books on the financial year. If payment is not made, your son will be dropped from the pack roster, as the pack isn't in a financial position to make that payment for you. Thanks

Bob Kadiddlehopper

Unit Leader

Yea, I know, a bit heavy-handed…but what else do you do? Our pack has a broad financial spectrum, and we haven't had any issues with the other 39…

How can I/we/the pack, be firm, but fair?

Thanks for the comments….

I know what needs to be done, I just think that I am a bit heavy-handed when it comes to collecting, but a bill is a bill…it needs to be paid, and "Can I pay you later?" and then not paying, well, is not very scout like.

I like the sports analogy, I will pass that one on to the CC [the wife, she thinks that I am mean]

We basically had only 5 families who hadn't paid on time, and they seemed to comprise two different problems.

The first 3 of them weren't consistently attending pack or den functions.  We had the den leader contact them twice to clarify if they planned on continuing in scouts, and reminded them of the amount due.  Then the CC contacted them and said that she was finishing the recharter on such and such a date, and if we didn't have money in hand, they would be dropped.  I think 2 were dropped, and they weren't around, and were giving us the passive signal that they were done. One wanted to continue, apologized about the delay and resolved the issue.

The second group of 2 families who hadn't paid, were attending everything, and weren't paying due to financial hardship.  They were initially embaressed, but after meeting with them, and discussing options, arrangements were made.  One family just wanted to pay in installments, and one just needed to wait another month.  The pack had sufficient funds to cover the dues and BL fees for the month.  And both of those families paid.  However, these were families who were invested in the program and needed extra support and encouragement.

Post edited 3:48 am – October 6, 2010 by SM Shawn

I knew that I had a thread out there, from a long time ago, and here it is. I posted a tweet tonight about how long do you wait? Well, um, m-yeah…

So, 3 of the 4 families that didn't pay, dropped. "Sorry, but we aren't participating, thanks" and that was the extent of the email…

The one that didn't drop was the reason for the tweet earlier tonight…

We have a family, who last year, sold the popcorn, and their money envelope got "thrown out"…to the tune of $580. They said that it was on their kitchen table, and some papers got moved or tossed out, and their money was in the envelope. The family called and told the CC what happened, to which she replied, "well, it really was your fault, not ours, but let's work it out."

The family had the people who wrote checks, write another check, and they made arrangements for paying the rest. Being they are strapped a lot, the committee decided on $10 a month would suffice for the rest of the year, and when the next fundraiser was, they would be required to sell things, but their son would get no money in his account until their bill was paid in full.

So $10 came last December, $10 more in January…nothing in February, March. Then they stopped showing up for pack meetings all together. This situation was brought up at every committee meeting since last November…each month, the ACM objecting to being "heavy-handed" and the CC, my wife, seemingly coming off as the b—-h [female dog in-heat].

Over the last 7 months, all we have gotten is "my bank took out too much for our XXX payment, I don't have it…" or "our checkbook is goofed up, and we don't have it" or "I already paid you, didn't I?"…you have all heard the stories.

OK, so let's fast forward a tad. Over the summer, the treasurer had some issues with her family life, and needed to quit as the treasurer. We got a new treasurer and after looking at the Scout Accounts, we found that this family used almost $100 of their ISA monies…the old treasurer wasn't informed about the lost money, and that their account was "frozen" until all monies were collected.

NOTE: For those following along, and wondering about the amounts, our pack pays 30% of their popcorn sale…so little Jonny sold $580, his ISA amount would be $174, then we would subtract $80 for his annual dues, leaving $94 for him to use towards scouting activities. Since the family hadn't paid in full, they didn't have a "dog in the hunt"…once they would have paid it all, their account would be unfrozen and they would have access to the funds.

OK, back to the story. After setting up 3 more payment plans, that the family agreed to, and never fulfilled, I get wind of something else…little Jonny is playing Pop-Warner football. I don't know about your area, but here, scratch a check for $250 as an application fee, and that doesn't include everything else. I pay a visit to the CM and tell him and his wife about it…his wife, the treasurer, flips a wig, calls the CC [my wife], and we have an impromptu meeting right there. We total everything up, to the tune of $380…$280 for what they haven't paid, plus $100 for the funds they "used" that they weren't entitled to.

To settle the debt, we decide on $200 even…let's recoup something, we decide…nevermind all of our noses are out of joint about Pop Warner. Oh, did I mention that the mom of this family is the advancement chair? Um, m-yeah…

The CC contacts the mom…"you need to settle this or Jonny and you are done, sorry."

"We will pay $25 per week for the next 8 weeks, then the $90 for this year's dues the week after…is that OK?" said the mom

"Yes, see you Friday…" says the CC [my wife]

First week…."bank goofed up, I will pay both next week if things are OK"

Second week…no calls, no emails…treasurer calls on the following Monday…"things happened, blah, blah, blah…I will have $75 on this Friday."

On the Wednesday after they have missed 2 payments, I go through the drive thru at McD's, and who is there? The mom…at the window, serving my food. "Hey there!" I said with a smile…she looks at me and says "I need to talk to you about selling popcorn. My husband wants to sell it now."

"Talk to my wife," I said…"she is in charge of the pack, not me."

"Oh, OK…I will do that…" and I drove off.

The mom stops at my house, promises to pay $75 this past Friday, and wants to get some popcorn for her son to sell…apologizes up and down, see you Friday…that type of thing. She also wants to know who she can talk to at the CO to discuss payments, and smooth things over, as we informed the CO what was happening. The CO told my wife, "she pays, or she's gone…" and that was the extent of it. Don't get me wrong, our CO is the best thing that could have happened to this pack, and we are grateful that our COR is stepping in to offer assistance.

So………………………………….Friday comes and goes….no calls, no emails, she hasn't mailed anything, nor called the Popcorn Kernel to get some order forms or Show & Deliver stock. Fast forward to Monday…the treasurer says the she will call her an inform the family that on Wednesday, they need to have the $75 or they are officially done.

The CC calls today, tells mom "$100 on Friday or you are done. As for popcorn, you will only be allowed to do Take Order, no Show and Deliver. Anything you sell, you had better collect for, as anything that you haven't collected for will not be ordered. If you don't do what I have outlined, you will be removed from the Charter Friday afternoon, and this is per the CO. If by choice, you don't want to follow through, please drop off all awards to the Cubmaster's house or my house."

"OK, but why is it $100? And why can't we have any popcorn to sell immediately?"

"Um, you missed 3 weeks of payments, plus your payment of $25 for this Friday. As for the popcorn, you haven't shown yourself to be trustworthy of carrying an inventory…"

"OK, see you on Friday…"

So, now that you have read my short novel, I am hoping that everyone here can take something from this….good, bad or otherwise.

I will post the final result, but from the way that I can read the CC, there will be final resolution on Friday.