News
GVR Bylaws Committee continues work on revisions
By Jim Lamb, Green Valley News
Green Valley Recreation is revising some of its bylaws and a committee studying proposed changes on Wednesday looked at such things as can the organization shut down facilities during severe economic times and how to let absent board members take part and vote on issues, either by cell phone or computer connection.
And board member Jim Burt, not a committee member but sitting in the audience, expressed dissatisfaction with some of the proposed changes.
“I’m putting you on notice,” he told the committee, that he would go to the membership trying to block some proposals. Burt is a former GVR president. Burt said that there are “lots of major changes that I don’t agree with.”
Chairperson Marge Garneau said, “We need to recognize that all directors won’t agree” on all the proposed changes.
During a committee discussion, the members debated if the board has the authority to scale back some of its operations during a financial crisis.
Garneau said she’d take the question to the next board meeting, Oct. 28, but after Wednesday’s meeting she told a reporter that there is a bylaw that says the board, “by majority vote has the authority to reduce services to maintain financial integrity.”
Burt, speaking from the audience, had also said earlier the bylaws already give the board of directors authority to scale back or shut down facilities without seeking approval of the membership.
Currently, the GVR board of directors has 12 members. Every year, the membership elects four members to serve three years on the board.
That means every year, four members can run for election for another term if they’re eligible. Board members can serve two consecutive terms before stepping down, but they can run again the following year.
Most of the committee members agreed that directors could participate in meetings by using the telephone or through a laptop commuter.
President Altie Metcalf was absent for the last board meeting, but took part in discussions by phone.
In the minutes, she was recorded as absent.
Burt has said some of the proposed changes would be attempts to silence a director who is at odds with the rest of the board, and in an earlier letter to the editor said if the measure goes to the membership, “then I ask you the members to defeat it.”
jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749
And board member Jim Burt, not a committee member but sitting in the audience, expressed dissatisfaction with some of the proposed changes.
“I’m putting you on notice,” he told the committee, that he would go to the membership trying to block some proposals. Burt is a former GVR president. Burt said that there are “lots of major changes that I don’t agree with.”
Chairperson Marge Garneau said, “We need to recognize that all directors won’t agree” on all the proposed changes.
During a committee discussion, the members debated if the board has the authority to scale back some of its operations during a financial crisis.
Garneau said she’d take the question to the next board meeting, Oct. 28, but after Wednesday’s meeting she told a reporter that there is a bylaw that says the board, “by majority vote has the authority to reduce services to maintain financial integrity.”
Burt, speaking from the audience, had also said earlier the bylaws already give the board of directors authority to scale back or shut down facilities without seeking approval of the membership.
Currently, the GVR board of directors has 12 members. Every year, the membership elects four members to serve three years on the board.
That means every year, four members can run for election for another term if they’re eligible. Board members can serve two consecutive terms before stepping down, but they can run again the following year.
Most of the committee members agreed that directors could participate in meetings by using the telephone or through a laptop commuter.
President Altie Metcalf was absent for the last board meeting, but took part in discussions by phone.
In the minutes, she was recorded as absent.
Burt has said some of the proposed changes would be attempts to silence a director who is at odds with the rest of the board, and in an earlier letter to the editor said if the measure goes to the membership, “then I ask you the members to defeat it.”
jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749
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