Boy Scout Bankruptcy Won't Impact Northeast Ohio Troops

CLEVELAND — Northeast Ohio boy scout troops should not be impacted by this week's bankruptcy filing by the Boy Scouts of America. The Lake Erie Council, which governs boy scout activities throughout seven counties in the Buckeye State, said there should be no change to the local scouting experience.

"Lake Erie Council has not filed for bankruptcy. Meetings and activities, service area and council events, other Scouting adventures and countless service projects are taking place as usual," said Marc Ryan, scout executive and CEO for the Lake Erie Council.

Ryan said the national organization Boy Scouts of America is filing Chapter 11, not the Lake Erie Council. This is an important distinction for local scouts and their families.

"The Lake Erie Council – which provides programming, financial, facility and administrative support to local units and individual Scouts in our area – is separate and distinct from the national organization. Our camps, properties, and all local contributions are controlled by our council," Ryan said in an email to Patch.

The Boy Scouts of America are filing for bankruptcy to create a Victims Compensation Trust for scouts who were victims of sexual abuse. Many of those former scouts are now suing the Boy Scouts of America. Organization leaders said they hope the bankruptcy filing will clear the path for the 110-year-old group to continue into the future, while appropriately compensating victims of sexual abuse.

The bankruptcy petition listed the Boy Scouts' assets as between $1 billion and $10 billion, and its liabilities at $500 million to $1 billion, according to the Associated Press.

“The BSA cares deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologizes to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting. We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to harm innocent children,” said Roger Mosby, president and CEO. “While we know nothing can undo the tragic abuse that victims suffered, we believe the Chapter 11 process – with the proposed Trust structure – will provide equitable compensation to all victims while maintaining the BSA’s important mission.”

The organization added that, "Local councils, which provide programming, financial, facility and administrative support to Scouting units in their communities, have not filed for bankruptcy. They are legally separate, distinct and financially independent from the national organization."

For more information on the Victims Compensation Trust, visit the Boy Scouts website.

Boy Scouts CEO Roger Mosby is not related to editor Chris Mosby.