Guest ECHSUE Posted July 9, 2019 at 08:08 PM Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 at 08:08 PM I belong to a very small club, approx 45 members and only about 15 are active. Our president is required to take a leave from the board for one year per our by-laws then she an come back on the boar and serve a 4 year term again and we can choose her as president. But we do not have anyone else willing to be president. Can we over ride somehow this by-law and just make it a one time change?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Mervosh Posted July 9, 2019 at 08:10 PM Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 at 08:10 PM 1 minute ago, Guest ECHSUE said: I belong to a very small club, approx 45 members and only about 15 are active. Our president is required to take a leave from the board for one year per our by-laws then she an come back on the boar and serve a 4 year term again and we can choose her as president. But we do not have anyone else willing to be president. Can we over ride somehow this by-law and just make it a one time change?? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted July 9, 2019 at 08:12 PM Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 at 08:12 PM 1 minute ago, Guest ECHSUE said: Can we over ride somehow this by-law and just make it a one time change?? You may amend the bylaws to remove that requirement, but you may not suspend the bylaws to do something which they prohibit unless the provision is in the nature of a Rule of Order. A provision regarding eligibility for office is not in the nature of a Rule of Order and may not be suspended Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zev Posted July 9, 2019 at 09:03 PM Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 at 09:03 PM What if this group were to elect a chairman pro tempore at each meeting? Would they be more receptive to a one-time-presidency scheme instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted July 10, 2019 at 01:21 AM Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 at 01:21 AM Please quote the term of office from the bylaws exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ECHSue Posted July 10, 2019 at 02:44 AM Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 at 02:44 AM SECTION 4. TERM OF OFFICE. No member may hold an office or remain on the Board for more than six consecutive years, except that serving part of an unexpired term shall not be considered as one of the six. SECTION 1. Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws may be proposed at any time by any member of the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Recording Secretary signed by 20% of the members in good standing and eligible to vote. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted to the members of the Club, with recommendations of the Board, by the Recording Secretary for a vote within 90 days of the date when the petition was received by the Recording Secretary. Could we vote to change the term of office to read: No member may hold an office or remain on the Board for more than six consecutive years, except that serving part of an unexpired term shall not be considered as one of the six. Unless a replacement board member is not avaialable to serve, then the board member may remain on the board for a total of 12 years with a 50% vote of the current membership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zev Posted July 10, 2019 at 03:45 AM Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 at 03:45 AM 53 minutes ago, Guest ECHSue said: Unless a replacement board member is not avaialable to serve, then the board member may remain on the board for a total of 12 years with a 50% vote of the current membership. Perhaps you meant to say "If a replacement board member is not available..." and "...with a majority vote of the membership." I'm confused with this double negative at the beginning. Also, the way it is worded at the end, the vote is fifty percent of the entire membership. If enough members abstain or refuse to be present during the meeting a fifty percent vote may never be achieved unless you either threaten the absent members or have a door prize of some sort. Even getting half of the membership to attend a meeting would be quite extraordinary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted July 11, 2019 at 01:20 PM Report Share Posted July 11, 2019 at 01:20 PM On 7/9/2019 at 10:44 PM, Guest ECHSue said: SECTION 4. TERM OF OFFICE. No member may hold an office or remain on the Board for more than six consecutive years, except that serving part of an unexpired term shall not be considered as one of the six. No, under that wording, it would not be possible for the person to remain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted July 11, 2019 at 05:06 PM Report Share Posted July 11, 2019 at 05:06 PM On 7/9/2019 at 4:08 PM, Guest ECHSUE said: I belong to a very small club, approx 45 members and only about 15 are active. Our president is required to take a leave from the board for one year per our by-laws then she an come back on the boar and serve a 4 year term again and we can choose her as president. But we do not have anyone else willing to be president. Can we over ride somehow this by-law and just make it a one time change?? No, you can't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted July 11, 2019 at 05:15 PM Report Share Posted July 11, 2019 at 05:15 PM (edited) On 7/9/2019 at 10:44 PM, Guest ECHSue said: SECTION 4. TERM OF OFFICE. No member may hold an office or remain on the Board for more than six consecutive years, except that serving part of an unexpired term shall not be considered as one of the six. SECTION 1. Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws may be proposed at any time by any member of the Board of Directors or by written petition addressed to the Recording Secretary signed by 20% of the members in good standing and eligible to vote. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Board of Directors and must be submitted to the members of the Club, with recommendations of the Board, by the Recording Secretary for a vote within 90 days of the date when the petition was received by the Recording Secretary. Could we vote to change the term of office to read: No member may hold an office or remain on the Board for more than six consecutive years, except that serving part of an unexpired term shall not be considered as one of the six. Unless a replacement board member is not avaialable [sic] to serve, then the board member may remain on the board for a total of 12 years with a 50% vote of the current membership. It's not particularly well written. If you don't want term limits, just delete them. Or extend them to 12 years, without the other stuff. If people don't want the person to continue to serve, and they vote no, you're in the same pickle you are now. The only way to vote against a candidate is to vote for someone else. No is not a person. Also, you can't claim a replacement is unavailable until after holding an election. You can pass out blank ballots and have people fill in names. If some eligible person gets a majority, they're elected, unless they decline. If no one is elected you have s second (or subsequent) ballot, and keep voting until someone is elected. So again, i don't see how the availability thing would work. You'd have to specify after how many ballots, I suppose. If nobody is willing to serve in office, you have to start to consider just how viable your organization really is. Sometimes, having a frank discussion on dissolving the society will spur people into volunteering to be nominated. Edited July 11, 2019 at 05:17 PM by Gary Novosielski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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