Guest Juan Posted October 6, 2015 at 05:58 PM Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 at 05:58 PM Our club by-laws are not very extensive (8 pages) and basically state that we follow Roberts rules if not specified directly by the by-laws. Recently the board chose to raise membership rates. We also have property that we charge a fee to use and these rates have also gone up. Does the board have the power to raise rates without a membership vote? There is nothing in the by-laws that remotely speaks to the rates and fees that are charged to the members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted October 6, 2015 at 06:04 PM Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 at 06:04 PM Unless there's some rule in the bylaws, it seems to me that not only does the board have no power to raise them, the society has no power to collect them in the first place--at least as far as "membership rates" which I take to be another term for "dues". As far as fees to use the facilities, that would depend on what power the board is granted in your bylaws, and the exact language used can make a big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Curious Posted October 7, 2015 at 02:11 AM Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 at 02:11 AM Are you saying that if the bylaws are silent on dues, members can't impose them without amending the bylaws? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted October 7, 2015 at 02:32 AM Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 at 02:32 AM Are you saying that if the bylaws are silent on dues, members can't impose them without amending the bylaws?If the bylaws are silent on dues, then I agree with Gary that neither the membership nor the board can impose them without amending the bylaws. Dues must at least be authorized in the bylaws in order for the society to impose or collect them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Curious Posted October 7, 2015 at 03:45 AM Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 at 03:45 AM Is that in Roberts Rules? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hieu H. Huynh Posted October 7, 2015 at 03:49 AM Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 at 03:49 AM See RONR 11th ed., pp. 571-572. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Curious Posted October 7, 2015 at 04:25 AM Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 at 04:25 AM That passage says dues "should" be in the bylaws unless they're really complicated. Does the book mean "must" when it says "should"? What if the dues are complicated — where do they go then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted October 7, 2015 at 05:41 AM Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 at 05:41 AM If the dues structure is complicated then they can be spelled out a set of Special Rules. HOWEVER, the bylaws still have to authorize dues in the first place and specify who can set or change them even though the details are elsewhere than the bylaws. Best to be in some article in the bylaws, however, to be sure there is substantial agreement as to what the dues should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted October 7, 2015 at 07:24 PM Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 at 07:24 PM That passage says dues "should" be in the bylaws unless they're really complicated. Does the book mean "must" when it says "should"? What if the dues are complicated — where do they go then? The authority to collect dues must be in the bylaws, the exact amount need not be. The bylaws can state that dues are a requirement of membership, yet give the assembly, for example, the right to change the amount of, or formula for calculating, dues from time to time as it judges to be appropriate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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