25 October 2008
Cut Red Tape, Get Community Projects Free
Posted by admin under: community service .
Maurice Zagha wrote in to the Asbury Park Press in New Jersey to congratulate the municipality of Manalapan and their mayor for getting out of the way of Boy Scouts who want to do service projects. As he explains it,
Projects that meet BSA requirements are large-scale. Until recently, Manalapan was one municipality that our boys shied away from. It proved to be a logjam, full of red tape and needless bureaucracy. In one case, a Scout was put through 11 months of Township Committee meetings before he was given approval for a $12,000 improvement to the Manalapan Recreation Center. Many Scouts went to other municipalities or found projects that did not involve Manalapan government.
About two years ago, Scout advancement counselors in Manalapan presented our concerns to Mayor Michelle Roth and explained the community benefits our township was missing out on. In response, Roth established a committee to oversee the Eagle project process. She made the township an example to other communities of the value Boy Scouts offers to the community.
Subsequently, the committee has expanded to include other representatives from the Girl Scouts and other community groups. It has become a resource for community-service projects needed by our youth for their respective associations.
As a resident of Manalapan and a Boy Scout volunteer for Troop 180, I salute the mayor for her interest and actions on behalf of our youth and community.
A three fingered salute, I’m sure! 
I’d like to amend that note by saying that large organizations need to also recognize that they can be the biggest obstacles to getting free service from the Scouts. Two of our Boy Scouts did projects at the local Catholic Mission and the delays were numerous due to red tape. The monseigneur was sympathetic, and an Eagle Scout himself, but at least one of these projects was slightly endangered by the numerous delays. Congrats to Manalapan and I hope many governments and committees listen to the wisdom of Maurice.
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