Updated by Tom Wood to provide information for concerned parents who may be considering having their son join the pack or troop.

This web site is no longer is active for Cub Scout Pack 162, Bainbridge, PA.

If you are looking for a local Scout unit, please understand that Cub Scout Pack 162 and Boy Scout Troop 162 in Bainbridge are still active. They, however, do not have any top leaders (Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, or either committee chairpersons) who reside within Bainbridge or Conoy Township. One of the key principles of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is that the units are to be neighborhood centered.

There have been several incidences at various community events where one of these units have been involved with major safety concerns and policy violations of the BSA.

What you decide is you concern. I personally would personally consider any other unit, or consider contacting any of the wonderful community organizations that might want to start a new Scouting unit. I have personally suffered from leaders and other adult members who have violated these Scouting laws.

The sad thing, about those actions, was that no one in the pack, the Bainbridge Fire Company, or the PA Dutch Council has yet been willing to talk with me and others involved in the pack or troop about the situations. I would like you also to be aware that the Harvest District Executive, the Bainbridge Fire Co., and, in my opinion, an over-zealous Assistant Cubmaster, who is now the Boy Scout troop's committee chairman, made a decission while bypassing the pack's committee and the parents of the Cub Scout Pack.

So far, it has taken me several months after being forced out form the pack to learn the actions that caused the mess.In the process, I was lied to by the Assistant Cubmaster as he stated that he was deeply sorry for what went on, and that someone must have gone to the Bainbridge Fire Co. and made a complaint, thereby forcing action. This was not the case, as told to me by the fire company's charter representative. In fact, a three-way conversation, initiated by the Harvest District executive between the charter representative, the Assistant Cubmaster and himself was the determining factor. This secret action bypassed the pack's committee, myself, and the other parents in the pack. The lie from the Assistant Cubmaster was later confirmed by an e-mail to me from the Assistant Cubmaster (who is not the Troop committee chairman). In that same e-mail, the Assistant Cubmaster states that while I and others did our best to maintain the existance of the pack, he thought it would have been better to let the pack fold. I wonder if he would do the same to the Boy Scout troop?

After receiving a letter from the fire company's charter representitive stating the my services were no longer needed, I then decided that I would need to involve the local council, PA Dutch, for assistance. While talking with the Scout executive and the district executive, I was told by the district executive that I did not have any right to know who said what about me. Of course this was the same district executive who stated (TRUSTWORTHY portion of the Scout Law) that he would attend a special meeting to help resolve the situation that I arranged with the pack's committee. I also procuded the agreement to attend by the Bainbridge Fire Co.'s charter representative. I later found out that the day after the district executive gave his word, this is when initiated a three-way conversation bypassing the pack's committee completely and violating BSA policies (a secret organization within the Boy Scouts of America). Understand, the district executive is a paid employee of the local council who is to oversee local unit and ensure that they are abiding by the principles and the bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America, and not to violate them.

As for the charter organization, the Bainbridge Fire Company, it has allowed its charter representative to fraudulently sign the annual charter with it and the BSA by signing as the industrial head —IH (otherwise known as the fire company president, who is up for election each year). The fire company's president is deliquent in his (or her) involvement with the Scouting units because he is required to personally select the charter representative (which a former president did, but was rejected by the council because the troop didn't have the same changes on its charter renewal). And the district executive is delinquent in his job because he is required to visit with each IH 60 days prior to renewal of the charters. If he did do his job, he would know that the charters for many years were fraudulently signed and things may have turned out quite differently.

My actions did not rest with the local council, I have pursuded action all the way up to the corporate headquarters of the Boy Scouts of America. Each point along the way, I was told that it was my problem and that I had to deal with it. Not necessarily in those terms, but there is a lack of action by anyone when people, who have signed adult applications, can violate procedures, policies and bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America, and those who are responsible for maintaining the organization, idley sitby and do very little, if anything, about it.

As for what I did with the Cub Scout Pack, we did service project, and were quite visible in the community. As for the units now, the Cub Scouts don't do anything, but you can see the Boy Scouts parking cars at Field Days, or up at Haldemann Mansion, and you might even see them with their hand out asking for corporate donations (but I shouldn't mention this since it is against the policies of the Boy Scouts of America).

Many people can attest for my involvement and concerns with Bainbridge. I am deeply involved with the Bainbridge Elementary School, my church, and other events and activities within Bainbridge and Conoy Township.

My intensions are not to force you to not join any of the Boy Scout units in Bainbridge, but to be quite informed at what has gone on and to allow you to make a well-thought-out decision about whether to allow your son to join or which unit to join.

Sincerely,
Tom