Bylaws Vote October 2024
We need your vote!
Explanation of Proposed Updates to NWS Bylaws
ARTICLE V-EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1: Members
A majority of the Executive Committee members shall have joined the Club in the last five (5) years or less.
The board is requesting this language be deleted from our Bylaws. The board understands the intent is to involve new members with fresh ideas. However, with all our busy lives, it is very difficult to get any member to volunteer to serve on the board. This language makes it even more difficult.
Section 2. Terms of Office
All NWS Executive Officers are currently elected to serve for a one (1) year term, with the option to elect to serve an additional one (1) year term. No member may hold the same Executive Office for more than two (2) consecutive years.
The majority of our Executive Officers usually elect to serve for two (2) consecutive years. The unintended consequence of this is that the majority of the Executive Board leaves office at the same time. The successor board is then left with no organizational memory or continuity to be able to quickly perform their jobs effectively and efficiently.
To try to avoid this complete drain of experience and ensure we have an informed, efficiently run board, your current board is proposing we change the Executive Officer terms so they are staggered. To do this, the Executive Committee would consist of two (2) classes of Executive Officers-Class A and Class B. Class A officers would serve a two (2) year term. Class B officers would serve a one (1) year term. No member could serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.
ARTICLE VII-NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 3: Nomination Process
2. Identify and nominate candidates to serve in Executive Officer positions,
with the provision that the Presidential nominee shall have previous NWS Board experience.
The board is suggesting this language be removed from the Bylaws. NWS members have a vast wealth of knowledge and experience, many of whom are more than qualified to serve as president. Preventing the nominating committee from considering non-board members for president limits the opportunity for the club to find the most qualified presidential candidates they can.
ARTICLE X-INTEREST GROUPS
Section 4: Interest Group Rules
2. Interest groups are solely responsible for their own finances.
Similar language was in our Bylaws prior to the April 2024 revision. It was inadvertently left out. The board is suggesting it be reinstated in this revision.