What is a Commissioner?

Commissioners are District and Council leaders who help Scout units succeed. They coach and consult with adult leaders of Cub Scout packs, Scouts BSA troops, and Venturing crews. Commissioners help maintain the standards of the Scouts BSA Organization. They also oversee the unit charter renewal plan so that each unit re-registers on time with an optimum number of youth and adult members.

Leading our Commssioners is Council Commissioner Michael Carpenter. His team includes:

District Commissioners

Kathy Dilks – Pomperaug District
Dave Zeh – Scatacook District
Jim Mitchell – Powahay District
Kennard Hudson – Quinnipiac District

Assistant Council Commissioners

Steve Agnew – Roundtable and Commissioner content at Council website
Michael Carroll – Disability awareness within units
John Gelinas – Council Commissioner Emeritus – Advisor
Stephen Rogalski – Camping, unit visitations and reporting
Adam Terr – General operations, unit visitation and JTE status
Craig Tiefenthaler – Commissioner recognition
Tom Williams – Advisor and unit visits

What is a Commissioner in Scouting?

A commissioner plays several roles, including friend, representative, unit “doctor,” teacher, and counselor.

The commissioner is a friend of the unit. Of all their roles, this one is the most important. It springs from the attitude, “I care, I am here to help,what can I do for you?” Caring is the ingredient that makes commissioner service successful. He or she is an advocate of unit needs. A commissioner who makes himself known and accepted now will be called on in future times of trouble.

The commissioner is a representative. The average unit leader is totally occupied in working with kids. Some have little if any contact with the Scouts BSA other than a commissioner’s visit to their meeting. To them, the commissioner may be the BSA. The commissioner helps represent the ideals, the principles, and the policies of the Scouting movement.

The commissioner is a unit “doctor.” In their role as “doctor,” they know that prevention is better than a cure, so they try to see that their units make good “health practices” a way of life. When problems arise, and they will even in the best unit, they act quickly. They observe symptoms, diagnose the real ailment, prescribe a remedy, and follow up on the patient.

The commissioner is a teacher. As a commissioner, they will have a wonderful opportunity to participate in the growth of unit leaders by sharing knowledge with them. They teach not just in an academic environment, but where it counts most—as an immediate response to a need to know. That is the best adult learning situation since the lesson is instantly reinforced by practical application of the new knowledge.

The commissioner is a counselor. As a Scouting counselor, they will help units solve their own problems. Counseling is the best role when unit leaders don’t recognize a problem and where solutions are not clear-cut. Everyone needs counseling from time to time, even experienced leaders.

Types of Commissioners

There are three types of Commissioners:

1. Administrative commissioners include the council commissioner, assistant council commissioners, district commissioners, and assistant district commissioners. Their primary responsibilities are recruiting, training, guiding, and evaluating the commissioner staff.
2. Unit commissioners are assigned to one or more units, which they serve and counsel.
3. Roundtable commissioners provide resources such as program skills and other help for unit personnel at regularly scheduled roundtables.

Commissioner’s Pledge

Just as our Scouts have the Scout Oath and Laws, Commissioner’s have their Commissioner’s Pledge:On my honor I will do my best, by example in my daily life to make the Scout Oath and Law a more vital force for good character and citizenship in the lives of the youth and leaders I serve.

I will do my best to help secure, and help to make effective the finest possible leadership, for the units I serve.

I will do my best, to help make the program of the units I serve, the best that can be given, rich in wholesome fun and adventure.

In all that I do, I will strive to help my units attract into membership, every possible youth so that through their participation, those youth can help make America a finer, greater nation in a world community.