August 24, 2016
Gentlemen:
In accordance with Article 27 of our Constitution, I submitted to the membership at the May 12, 2016 stated meeting a proposed amendment to Article 10 of the Constitution pertaining to the quorum for our meetings. As required by Article 27, the amendment was referred to the Board of Managers for its recommendation. The Constitution also mandates that the amendment must be presented to the next stated meeting of the membership which is September 8. Article 27 also requires that the amendment must be submitted in writing to the membership fourteen (14) days in advance of the stated meeting. All of the Constitutional requirements have been met with this letter which includes the current Article 10 and the proposed amendment.
The amendment is debatable but is not amendable. An up or down vote is required.
The Board of Managers will bring its recommendation to the floor when the amendment is before the body for its action.
Article 10
The Society shall hold five meetings in each year, to wit: on the second Thursday of the months of January, March, May, September and November, the last of which shall be the Annual Meeting. The President, or, in his absence, the officer highest in rank who may be present, shall appoint the place of meeting in the City of Albany. The Secretary shall give due notice thereof to the Resident Members and fifteen shall be necessary to constitute a quorum. At all meetings the name of members present shall be recorded.
The motion: Shall the third sentence of Article 10 be amended so that it will read: The Secretary shall give due notice thereof to the Resident Members and twenty percent (20%) of the Resident Membership shall be necessary to constitute a quorum.
And note that the third sentence in Article 11 will be amended to conform to Article 10.
My rationale for proposing this amendment is to enable us to conduct the business of the Society. We did not have a quorum present at the stated meetings in January and March and we could not approve the minutes or conduct routine business. With a number of our long-time faithful members less able to attend because a variety of reasons and members moving away, it is becoming an increasing problem to meet the quorum requirement of fifteen Resident Members.
Thursday, September 8 is our annual BBQ sponsored by the Officers of the Society and the meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. following the meal.
I look forward to seeing you on September 8.
Aye yours,
Bruce Newell, President