BYLAWS- A PATH FORWARD

[George Boley]

Good Morning,
Because it has been two years since my last post, for the benefit of the new members, allow me to introduce myself. Sue and I have owned three Born Frees, we are original members of the Club and I served on the original bylaw committee. Just for the record I was the only committee member to vote against the final draft. I felt the document was just too restrictive for a social club whose sole purpose was to get together and enjoy each other's company. As history repeats itself, we find ourselves at that juncture once again.

I served as the SE Vice President and spent three years as the Rally/Caravan Coordinator. During our years as members, Sue and I have hosted seven rallies, and have been instrumental in organizing two National Rallies as well as organizing two caravans--one to Alaska, the other to Newfoundland. In both cases we served as tail gunners (assistant wagonmasters). Enough of that!

As we start to explore the proposed bylaws, we already find many, many unintended consequences, most just a product of the human psyche. Let me expose just one for you----Under Article 7, Disciplinary Action... If a "member" is suspended for any of the five stated reasons, here is what happens.....

Because Article 3 defines a "member" as a family unit (one vote per coach) made up of husband and wife or adult persons, if one spouse gets ousted the other is doomed as well. It really gets sticky when the "adult persons" are an unmarried couple who for finanancial reasons own a Born Free together. Just recently a member said to me (I paraphrase here), It's a darn good thing we have club insurance because sure as shootin we're going to get sued over this disciplinary thing. I could share many more concerns, as you all have, but it's time to find a path forward!

Because the proposed bylaws have become so contentious and prone to get worse before National, ripping at the very thread that binds us together as friends, we must navigate around this at all costs. So HERE IS THE BITTER PILL WE MUST SWALLOW.

First at National, the Officers craft and present a motion, or entertain one from the floor, to table the proposed bylaws in their entirety. The officers would also need to rescind Policy 6 which is intertwined in the proposed bylaws. History--By prescription, the officers and/or president have garnered the right to issue policy without a membership vote, however the existing bylaws (last line of Artile 4) allow for the membership to overturn a policy. I just think it would be a lot more tasteful if the officers were given the opportunity to rescind it.

Because the lack of a proxy vote has raised its head now and so often in the past, we must address it this June at the meeting. We still have time to send out a 30 day postcard notice to ALL members that the old bylaws will be amended by adding under Article 8 the right to a proxy vote for amending bylaws. Obviously, it doesn't help us this year, but we are now ready to entertain proxies anytime after June, subject to the required 30 day notice. The makeup of the proxy ballot will take some thought as it needs to have the ability to consider EACH amendment, as some folks will favor some while they may not others. As an example, the current proposed bylaws would not accomplish this as they were presented as though old ones did not exist. Normally these things show the old article and near it in bold, the new one to be adopted.

Yes, I know, by doing all this we have lost some time. However, while the old bylaws do need some housekeeping, they will carry us through a couple more years while the new president and officers can look at needed amendments in a fresh light. We don't even have to wait two years until the next National Rally, as we will be operating under the old bylaws and more importantly will have our proxy in place.

I am sorry we cannot be at National, but we have a heavy financial commitment to bring our Swedish family home for a family reunion.

Thank you for your patient ear. Now I will go back to my hiatus.
George Boley