Merit Badge Counselors: District Rechartering
Remember, North Star District has to re-charter each year just like our units. This means all volunteers listed as “District Staff” must be dropped, added, or retained at the district level as part of the rechartering process.
For Cub Scout Packs, this is not an issue. Ever.
For Scout Troops and Venturing Crews, this is important. Many scouters in troops and crews serve as Merit Badge Counselors (“MBCs”). MBCs are District Staff. They do not recharter as part of the unit. They recharter as part of the district.
That means we need every troop’s and crew’s immediate assistance. Each troop or crew needs to verify by email that the MBC list of their volunteers is accurate by November 30, 2016.
All it takes is a quick email to District Merit Badge Registrar Mike Yates at Mike-fpd@comcast.net, saying, “We wish to recharter all of our existing MBCs for 2017.” If those MBCs have their MBC training and YPT expiring after 3/1/17, they will be good to go.
If you have new MBCs or some veterans don’t meet the above criteria, they can do the MBC training online or find live seminars at http://www.crossroadsbsa.org/506. They will need to update their YPT training. New MBCs will also need to fill out an Adult Application on paper or online at https://my.bsa.us/160ns01mb (a dedicated website for District applications).
If a unit fails to report in to Mike Yates, all MBCs currently registered will expire on December 31, 2016 and be required to re-register. Any blue cards a deregistered MBC signs after January 1, 2017 will be invalid.
Please help us avoid that unpleasantness. All committee chairs for troops and crews (or their MBC designate) should check in with Mike Yates at their earliest convenience so that District can be rechartered on time.
Thank you for your assistance.
NOTE: for more about why these rules exist, see past posts on merit badge counselors.
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 