The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to teach young people to make ethical decisions by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Is the proposal to build a new Scout Service Center for the Cayuga County Council Boy Scouts of America an ethical decision? Is it an example of "On my honor, I will do my best ... to obey the Scout Law?" Is it being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, thrifty and brave?

The National Council of the BSA has guidelines that define a council as a geographic area with enough youth to have approximately 5,000 members. A council employs a scout executive, clerical staff and as many district executives as necessary to carry out the program. A council consists of districts with each consisting of approximately 1,000 youth members in about 50 units and is served by a district executive. In the eyes of the National Council, the district executive is the most important person in the council for recruiting and maintaining youth members and units. These are minimum standards based on sound financial and programmatic reasons. Without this size base, it is impossible to deliver the best scouting program and adequate training for adult volunteers.

The Cayuga County Council hardly meets the definition of a district, let alone a council. As a council, it must support a well-paid executive, office staff and overhead associated with a service center, plus a district executive. The Cayuga County Council claims it serves over 2,500 youth in 36 units and over 500 adult volunteers. (January 2003 issue of The Cayuga Scouter.) More realistic numbers are 1,100 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venture members in 24 traditional units with about 500 students in the Learning for Life program.

The Cayuga County Council is operating in the black and has a fairly good restricted fund balance, which has spared the Northeast Region of the BSA from merging it with another council. For years, the council was without a district executive for lack of funds.

With the scout age youth population dropping, will this council be able to maintain its current membership?

Will the funds be available for a district executive?

What happens when the current scout executive retires?

Will it be possible to find another executive willing to lead such a small council?

Will the region allow the council to continue?

Camp Rotary needs repairs; where will this money come from?

What happens to a new Scout Service Center if the council no longer exists?

How does this council meet the long-range goals established by the BSA?

Is the council being up-front with its members, donors and the public?

Since the possibility of merger exists, is building a new service center ethical?

We, the undersigned, have been part of scouting in Cayuga County Council for many years. We have the same strong feelings and memories others have, but life is different today. It is time this council changed so scouting in Cayuga County can be all that it can be.

The future of scouting is in delivering the scouting program in the places scouts gather. It is in these places the aims of scouting -- building character, fostering citizenship, developing fitness - occur, not in a service center.

Committing $250,000 to build a Scout Service Center and committing another $250,000 to ensure its operation won't add much to achieving the aims of scouting in Cayuga County or anyplace else. On the other hand, an infusion of any amount of money could go a long way in reaching those aims.

A number of scout leaders have tried since 1991 to bring about change within this council and, until now, have made a concentrated effort to keep differences of opinion with the leadership of this council private. However, since the Scouts Service Center articles appeared, we cannot allow the public to be duped into believing this council needs such a service center. Raising $500,000 for a center that provides an office for a position (scout executive) that may not even exist in a couple of years, is not ethical.

Before you make a pledge, think about the points above, ask some questions and get some honest answers. Scouting desperately needs your donations in places other than in a new service center for Cayuga County Council.

Mr. Knaul submitted this letter on behalf of 14 others. Their signatures appeared on the original letter.