Violation of bylaws/changed the bylaws without a vote

[Joshua]

I joined a local committee back in Nov. of 2019. The committee passed bylaws the previous May and they seemed pretty standard from the committees I have been on. In the January meeting however, they presented some changes to the bylaws financials section and attempted to vote on them but was shut down because I read the bylaws out of the chairs binder that stated they had to be presented at one meeting and voted on in the next. Then COVID happened and the March & May meetings were canceled. However, during that time a few members of the executive committee revised the most of the bylaws almost every other section had changes highlighted in red and included the financial stuff too. However, section 10 which covers how to change the bylaws was completely rewritten and wasn’t identified as a change. At the June meeting they presented all of the changes to the bylaws not including section 10 and voted. Now our bylaws state you have to attend 3 meetings before you can vote which prevented me, my wife, 2 other members from voting who opposed a lot of the changes. When asked about section 10 they denied it had been changed and said that’s  what it has always said and forced the vote and changed the bylaws. Do I have any recourse? It has been brought up at every meeting since June and ignored. I asked for it to be on the agenda this month and again Ignored  so please tell me what to do. Thanks. 

[Rob Elsman]

Who is "they"?  Is the executive committee the same body as "a local committee"? Why do you think changes have to be identified by red highlighting?

[Joshua]

We have an executive committee over the committee that consists of chair, vice chair, secretary, treasure, and reporter. “They” sit over the actual committee (only the Chair, secretary, and treasure did the revisions).The way they presented the changes were in word with the edits highlighted in red and the old stuff lined through for comparison. Also, when “the changes” were presented they went over only the red highlights as changes.  

[Joshua]

It was sent like this with the reds being added or edited In word. 

 

 

 

2. Nomination of Officer Candidates: Process

The Chair shall appoint up to a three person Nominating Committee not later than September 30 of each year. The Nominating Committee shall be identified by the Chair at the October  General Meeting. Any Active Member in good standing with the committee shall be eligible to serve on the Nominating Committee. In addition to the Nominating Committee’s slate of officer candidates, any Active Member in good standing may nominate an alternative candidate for any officer position provided that nominee provided consent for such nomination and the alternative candidate’s nomination has been timely placed on the December General Meeting Agenda. Any active member in good standing with 1 year of service is eligible for nomination Only 1 member from any family may serve simultaneously on the executive committee.

 

Election of Officers:

Officer elections shall be conducted annually at the December General Meeting.  The candidate elected to the position shall be the person receiving the most votes for the position for which he/she was nominated.

 

Term of Office:

Each officer elected at the December General Meeting shall serve a term of one year (January 1 until December 31 of the following year. An officer may hold any office for more than one term.

2. Nomination of Officer Candidates: Process

The Chair shall appoint up to a three person Nominating Committee not later than September 30 of each year. The Nominating Committee shall be identified by the Chair at the October  General Meeting. Any Active Member in good standing with the committee shall be eligible to serve on the Nominating Committee. In addition to the Nominating Committee’s slate of officer candidates, any Active Member in good standing may nominate an alternative candidate for any officer position provided that nominee provided consent for such nomination and the alternative candidate’s nomination has been timely placed on the December General Meeting Agenda. Any active member in good standing with 1 year of service is eligible for nomination Only 1 member from any family may serve simultaneously on the executive committee.

 

Election of Officers:

Officer elections shall be conducted annually at the December General Meeting.  The candidate elected to the position shall be the person receiving the most votes for the position for which he/she was nominated.

 

Term of Office:

Each officer elected at the December General Meeting shall serve a term of one year (January 1 until December 31 of the following year. An officer may hold any office for more than one term.