member rights

[BBvolunteer]

Our nonprofit youth organization has a by law I am hoping to get clarification on.

 

It states anyone who attends 6 of our open meetings earns voting privileges and is considered a member.

 

They do not hold an officer position. However someone who has attend the required meetings is now asking to be included on officer communications and to attend closed meetings.

 

Can someone give me some insight as to how this is suppose to work since the bylaws give no specifics?

 

Our officers are voted in by the board and hold tittles as well as responsibilities at our organization so I am questioning why someone who attends an amount of meeting would hold the same privilege as the officers

[Chris Harrison]

Our officers are voted in by the board and hold tittles as well as responsibilities at our organization so I am questioning why someone who attends an amount of meeting would hold the same privilege as the officers

That is a good question and one you should ask the member making the request.

[Edgar Guest]

RONR-Land is divided between members and non-members. Officers (assuming they're also members) have no additional rights (though they usually have additional responsibilities).

 

I'm not sure which "closed meetings" you're referring to but members of the organization who are not members of the board have no right to attend board meetings?

[BBvolunteer]

Our board is setup of 15 member/officers elected by the current board for a 1yr term. We hold 2 meetings a month first for general public and second just for board members. Our bylaws state that if you attend 6 public meetings you are now able to vote if you are not an elected member. The person who has attended the 6 meetings now wants to attend the closed elected official meeting and be on the communications.

 

I am not sure if this is what we should do since they are not an elected member. I hope that makes more sensee

[Edgar Guest]

Our board is setup of 15 member/officers elected by the current board for a 1yr term. We hold 2 meetings a month first for general public and second just for board members. Our bylaws state that if you attend 6 public meetings you are now able to vote if you are not an elected member. The person who has attended the 6 meetings now wants to attend the closed elected official meeting and be on the communications.

 

I am not sure if this is what we should do since they are not an elected member. I hope that makes more sense

 

So if a member of the "general public" (who might not be a member of your organization) attends six board meetings that are open to the "general public", this person becomes a voting member (though not an elected member) of the board? Or does this person just become a member of your organization?

 

And when does the general membership meet?

[BBvolunteer]

We have a general meeting once a month.

 

Here is the bylaw.

 

"A person is automatically a member when they have attended six meetings in one year. They then have the right to vote."

 

So my questions are do they now hold a title on the board? Do they go on the officer communications and do the attend the closed board officer meetings?

 

Our officers also share in responsibilities at our facilities and fund raisers. Are they now added to that group and treated as the rest of the "board members" or do they just have voting rights at the public meetings?

[Edgar Guest]

We have a general meeting once a month.

A meeting of the general membership of your organization (as opposed to a meeting of your board)?

 

Here is the bylaw.

 

"A person is automatically a member when they have attended six meetings in one year. They then have the right to vote."

A member of what? A member of your organization? Surely not a member of your board.

 

So my questions are do they now hold a title on the board? Do they go on the officer communications and do the attend the closed board officer meetings?

 

My question is: are they even on the board at all (regardless of whether they hold a title)?

 

Our officers also share in responsibilities at our facilities and fund raisers. Are they now added to that group and treated as the rest of the "board members" or do they just have voting rights at the public meetings?

Public meetings of the board or the "general meetings" you have once a month?

I apologize for being confused.

[BBvolunteer]

To your first question correct the board gathers with an open door policy for anyone to attend and we refer to it as our open or general monthly meeting

 

 

to the second I know it is very confusing the way it is written. I am thinking it is a member of the organization with voting rights? Because there is another section as to the officers of the elected board and their responsibilities.

 

So the person who has attended the 6 general public meeting is asking to be on the board/officer communication and attend the "board" meetings feeling that member refers to a board member not an organization member. And I am thinking that can't be right?

[BBvolunteer]

Oh and yes the officers make up the board.

[Edgar Guest]

To your first question correct the board gathers with an open door policy for anyone to attend and we refer to it as our open or general monthly meeting

If it's a meeting of the board, it's a board meeting (whether it's open to non-board members or not). If it's a meeting of the general membership then it's not a board meeting. So a good first step might be to stop referring to a meeting of the board as a general meeting.

 

And, unless I've missed it, I don't think you've told us when the general membership of your organization meets.

 

So the person who has attended the 6 general public meeting is asking to be on the board/officer communication and attend the "board" meetings feeling that member refers to a board member not an organization member. And I am thinking that can't be right?

 

I'm also thinking that can't be right.

 

You need to read the bylaws in their entirety. I would think hope the section that refers to becoming a member after attending six meetings does not appear in the section that refers to your board.

[Gary Novosielski]

There seems to be great confusion in your organization between members of the board, and general members of the organization, as well as between meetings of the two distinct bodies.

 

This confusion may be engendered by confusing and ambiguous language in the bylaws, but it's important that you analyze your bylaws and attempt to resolve the confusion, and then, if necessary, amend the bylaws to remove the ambiguity.

 

I suppose it's possible for anyone who walks in the door the requisite number of times to automatically get a seat on the board.  But I doubt it.

 

It's also possible that by reading your bylaws in their entirety (which we are not equipped to do) while bearing in mind the distinction between members of different bodies, may make things clear to you.  If it's still not clear, figure out how you think it should be, and try to get the bylaws amended to say what they are supposed to mean.

[Richard Brown]

I find all of this very unclear and confusing and I cannot follow it.  I will just point out to the original poster, as I believe Mr.

Guest did, that in RONR land people either are members or are not members of a body.  If attending six meetings makes someone a member, then it seems to me that person is a member complete with all rights pertaining to membership.

 

Now, as to which body he is a member of, that is a different question.

 

I'm quite lost.

 

Edited to add:  Just out of curiosity, how did all of the other members get to be members?  Is attending six meetings the only way one  becomes a member?   Is this "six meeting" thing an alternative means to becoming a member?