To: Executive Board, Cubmasters, Scoutmasters, Crew Leaders, Committee Chairs, District Committee Members and Commissioners:

As we move into the fall, we are excited for another great year of Scouting with new Scouts, awesome opportunities for families and big new adventures! We want to share information that relates to a future membership fee increase by the National Council (BSA).

In the last few days we have learned that the BSA is going to increase the registration fee for youth and adult leaders starting January 1, 2020. The current fee is $33 and the Middle Tennessee Council (MTC) collects $2 to help offset the accident insurance we pay for each Scout and leader for a total of $35. The entire $33 is collected by the MTC and sent to the BSA.

The reason for the fee increase is due to several financial challenges the BSA faces including; loss of revenue from the Philmont fires, hurricanes effecting the Florida Seabase, and loss of revenue from the LDS membership. To be transparent, the greatest challenge has been the significant increase costs caused by the general liability insurance. The BSA protects all chartered organizations and adult leaders with primary liability insurance.

Listed below is information we are aware of regarding the fee increase from BSA.

• The BSA has not announced what the new fee will be.
• Units that recharter in September, October and November of 2019 will not be affected by the new fee. Units that recharter in December of 2019 and any month in 2020 will pay the new fee.

Middle Tennessee Council Plans Moving Forward

• The units that moved their recharters from the fall of 2019 to December of 2020 should not be affected. If these units are affected by the fee increase, we plan to ask the MTC Executive Board to help offset the increase.
• Special assistance funding is available (and always has been available) for families who can’t afford Scouting. Please let your District Executive know if there is a need.
• Many BSA Councils charge a program fee to Scouts that stays with the local Council, some charge $100 or more per Scout. The MTC does not charge a program fee and has no plans to charge this fee moving forward. Scouting families help support the MTC through popcorn and camp card sales and through the Family Friends of Scouting Campaign.

Thank you for being a leader in one of the greatest youth development programs in the Nation and in one of the most successful Boy Scout Councils in the nation.

Sincerely,

Karen Bengtson Council Commissioner	Larry Brown Scout Executive