Guest Seery52 Posted January 17, 2018 at 10:01 PM Report Share Posted January 17, 2018 at 10:01 PM My society bylaws state: The elected officers shall be elected by ballot at the convention to serve a term of four (4) years, and shall not be eligible for re-election to the same office. There is no rule for when the nominating committee cannot fill the slate for election. Our society can change bylaws but the changes have to go through the national organization and there isn't time to make changes before the June elections. I hold the current office that needs a candidate. My term will be up in June. I suspect there will be nominations from the floor because this is a difficult position: reading and approving bylaws for 66 societies in our district. I would like to continue in this office but there doesn't seem to be an option. Are there some that I am not aware of? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Lages Posted January 17, 2018 at 10:08 PM Report Share Posted January 17, 2018 at 10:08 PM Your society will have to be the ultimate arbiter of what your bylaws mean, but, taking the quoted statement at face value, there doesn't appear to be any options for you to continue in your current position. Plus, if you end up with no nominees and no one is elected, that office would appear to become vacant based on the bylaws description of the term of office, i.e., there is no "until their successors are elected" language that would allow you to remain in the position until someone else is elected to fill it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted January 17, 2018 at 11:20 PM Report Share Posted January 17, 2018 at 11:20 PM 1 hour ago, Guest Seery52 said: My society bylaws state: The elected officers shall be elected by ballot at the convention to serve a term of four (4) years, and shall not be eligible for re-election to the same office. There is no rule for when the nominating committee cannot fill the slate for election. Our society can change bylaws but the changes have to go through the national organization and there isn't time to make changes before the June elections. I hold the current office that needs a candidate. My term will be up in June. I suspect there will be nominations from the floor because this is a difficult position: reading and approving bylaws for 66 societies in our district. I would like to continue in this office but there doesn't seem to be an option. Are there some that I am not aware of? Perhaps the society could elect someone else to the position with the understanding that you will advise and assist him in his duties. Members may be more willing to serve if they know that they can expect help. This would seem to be a viable workaround until the bylaws can be amended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted January 17, 2018 at 11:28 PM Report Share Posted January 17, 2018 at 11:28 PM And when you do get to amending the bylaws, take a close look at the "or until..." phrasing described on page 573, line 33 and on for the next coupe of pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted January 17, 2018 at 11:55 PM Report Share Posted January 17, 2018 at 11:55 PM Other options include providing beer and pizza throughout the term of the person who steps forward. Or, I suppose, shutting down the organization if the position is vital and no one who meets the bylaw qualifications wants to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted January 18, 2018 at 12:15 AM Report Share Posted January 18, 2018 at 12:15 AM 19 minutes ago, Joshua Katz said: Or, I suppose, shutting down the organization if the position is vital and no one who meets the bylaw qualifications wants to do it. But shutting down the organization would require the same procedures as amending the bylaws, and the entire problem is that there isn’t sufficient time to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted January 18, 2018 at 12:23 AM Report Share Posted January 18, 2018 at 12:23 AM 8 minutes ago, Josh Martin said: But shutting down the organization would require the same procedures as amending the bylaws, and the entire problem is that there isn’t sufficient time to do that. Presumably the shutting down can be done even if this position is vacant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted January 18, 2018 at 12:39 AM Report Share Posted January 18, 2018 at 12:39 AM 13 minutes ago, Joshua Katz said: Presumably the shutting down can be done even if this position is vacant. Sure, but if we go into the longer view, where the bylaws can be amended, there are also much less drastic options, such as amending the bylaws to remove the term limits, or perhaps replacing this position with a committee if it’s too much work for one person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Seery52 Posted January 18, 2018 at 06:07 PM Report Share Posted January 18, 2018 at 06:07 PM Thank you for all your comments. As this is a religious organization, I will have to trust that God has the right person in mind and I'm worrying about nothing. We really can't shut the organization down - it's a part of a whole and an important part. I would love to break my job down into several committees and spread the load. However, we have trouble filling the committees we already have. I'm an overacheiver and I think i'm the only one who thinks this job is too hard for just one person. However, I like this position, and I would be happy to do it one more term. I hestitate to be the advocate of "until a successor" in the wording. By having the term limit, we do seem to spread the load a bit more equally and each position does not become a "life sentence." However, I can see the advantage that the position is still filled until another election can be held or the person who holds the position resigns. I sort of like the petition aspect of being able to run for the office again if a petition is approved. That again needs a bylaw change and we don't have time to do that. I will talk to my national structure committee and see if I can rush a bylaw change through if we can't find a candidate. Again, thank you for taking time for this. The organization is very worthy and it makes me sad that others won't step up and support it in leadership positions. I think more organizations are facing the same dilemma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Who's Coming to Dinner Posted January 18, 2018 at 07:58 PM Report Share Posted January 18, 2018 at 07:58 PM Sometimes the threat of winding up an organization will convince members to come forward and serve. And if it doesn't, then maybe it is time to wind up, no matter how worthy the org and its goals. It's better than the living death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Ed Posted January 18, 2018 at 09:25 PM Report Share Posted January 18, 2018 at 09:25 PM Sometimes I wonder if organizations do not put too much responsibility on one position. Maybe some of the duties should/could be used assigned to another person, if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Seery52 Posted January 20, 2018 at 12:42 AM Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 at 12:42 AM I agree Rev Ed. We will be talking about that, too. A thought occurred to me. Our district has bylaws that cannot conflict with National bylaws. Looking at the National bylaws they do state the phrase "or until a successor can be elected." Is it possible to operate under the national bylaws in this case? I have asked this same questions of the national structure committee. They will get back to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted January 20, 2018 at 01:52 AM Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 at 01:52 AM 1 hour ago, Guest Seery52 said: I agree Rev Ed. We will be talking about that, too. A thought occurred to me. Our district has bylaws that cannot conflict with National bylaws. Looking at the National bylaws they do state the phrase "or until a successor can be elected." Is it possible to operate under the national bylaws in this case? I have asked this same questions of the national structure committee. They will get back to me. Most likely not. I strongly suspect that the “or until a successor is elected” language in the national bylaws only applies to officers of the national association. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Seery52 Posted January 20, 2018 at 08:25 PM Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 at 08:25 PM The Natioanal structure committee have responded! They will rush through their approval of the changes after the board meets Feb. 10. We have to present bylaw changes 90 in advance of the convention and we have time to do that. Because of my questions and diligence, they suggested I should my name in for the National Structure Committee. Maybe someday, not now. I have to clean up this mess first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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