Officers

[Guest Lu.]

If the Secretary moves to another state…how do we dismiss him/her and replace him/her? 

[Joshua Katz]

What do the bylaws say about a) the Secretary's term of office, and b) the qualifications for Secretary?

[Gary Novosielski]

On 6/18/2023 at 12:43 PM, Guest Lu. said:

If the Secretary moves to another state…how do we dismiss him/her and replace him/her? 

Everything depends on what your bylaws say about the office of Secretary or officers in general. Is living in the state a requirement?   If so, one would expect the Secretary to resign, effective on some date prior to or coïncident with the anticipated move. If that does not occur, the chair, once the move occurs may declare the position to be vacant.

If there is no such qualification for office, and presuming the Secretary will be unwilling or unable to fulfill the duties of the office, then a resignation becomes even more desirable, since removal from office involuntarily would require a trial or other process, possibly found in your bylaws or in Chapter XX. of RONR.

Have you suggested to the Secretary the idea of submitting a resignation?

In any case you should also check your bylaws to see if there is a procedure for filling mid-term vacancies in this or all offices.  Do you have a board?  What are its powers?  Does it have general authority over the society’s affairs between meetings of the society’s membership, or explicit power to fill vacancies?  If so, then with previous notice board members, it may elect someone to be Secretary for the unexpired remainder of the current term, or such other period as the bylaws may provide.  If the board does not have such powers, then with previous notice to the membership, a special election can be scheduled to choose this replacement.

Edited June 18, 2023 at 05:24 PM by Gary Novosielski