Working a Merit Badge...

I took my son and a few other kids to a county commissioner meeting to fulfil a requirement that there is for the "Citizenship in the Community" Merit Badge.  Here are the requirements:

1. Discuss with your counselor what citizenship in the community means and what it takes to be a good citizen in your community. Discuss the rights, duties, and obligations of citizenship, and explain how you can demonstrate good citizenship in your community, Scouting unit, place of worship or school.
2. Do the following:

   a. On a map of your community, locate and point out the following:

   1. Chief government buildings such as your city hall, county courthouse, and public works/services facility

   2. Fire station, police station, and hospital nearest your home

   3. Historical or other interesting points

   b. Chart the organization of your local or state government. Show the top offices and tell whether they are elected or appointed.

3. Do the following:

   a. Attend a meeting of your city, town, or county council or school board; OR attend a municipal, county, or state court session.

   b. Choose one of the issues discussed at the meeting where a difference of opinions was expressed, and explain to your counselor why you agree with one opinion more than you do another one.

4. Choose an issue that is important to the citizens of your community; then do the following:

   a. Find out which branch of local government is responsible for this issue.

   b. With your counselor's and a parent's approval, interview one person from the branch of government you identified in requirement 4a. Ask what is being done about this issue and how young people can help.

   c. Share what you have learned with your counselor.

5. With the approval of your counselor and a parent, watch a movie that shows how the actions of one individual or group of individuals can have a positive effect on a community. Discuss with your counselor what you learned from the movie about what it means to be a valuable and concerned member of the community.
6. List some of the services (such as the library, recreation center, public transportation, and public safety) your community provides that are funded by taxpayers. Tell your counselor why these services are important to your community.
7. Do the following:

   a. Choose a charitable organization outside of Scouting that interests you and brings people in your community together to work for the good of your community.

   b. Using a variety of resources (including newspapers, fliers and other literature, the Internet, volunteers, and employees of the organization), find out more about this organization.

   c. With your counselor's and your parent's approval, contact the organization and find out what young people can do to help. While working on this merit badge, volunteer at least eight hours of your time for the organization. After your volunteer experience is over, discuss what you have learned with your counselor.

8. Develop a public presentation (such as a video, slide show, speech, digital presentation, or photo exhibit) about important and unique aspects of your community. Include information about the history, cultures, and ethnic groups of your community; its best features and popular places where people gather; and the challenges it faces. Stage your presentation in front of your merit badge counselor or a group, such as your patrol or a class at school.

Well the scouts went to a county commissioner's meeting.  There were several issues that were presented to the commissioners, most were fairly mundane but the one that got the biggest response was a proposal to build another "Dollar General" in a rural area and the local residents are up in arms about it.  They pointed that there are already a bunch of them in the area and the money that the county would get in taxes would be more than offset by the infrastructure that would have to be improved from the roads, traffic lights, and increased crime that such places seem to attract.  the people were well armed with facts and several of them mentioned the "stick" of politics...If they go against the residents, they would have a hard time keeping their commissioner jobs at the next elections.  
     

    There was also a resolution about this week being the "Constitution" week since this week back in 1787 the final form of the U.S. Constitution was presented to the states for ratification.  

     Also the parking was at a premium because of the proposed zoning hearing over Dollar General  and of course there was one of these.. 

 "Asshole parking"

   Yes I had considered posting this pic on Facebook but I am a scout leader and we are supposed to be above that.    So I immortalized it on my blog instead .