Club Proposes By-Law Change

NH Straw Poll
NH Chapter member postions and comments on the upcoming Club By-Law change.

Entries: 13
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Dear Chapter Members,
You will soon be receiving a ballot (or two) for a vote to approve new bylaws for the Club. In order to help you make an informed decision about this vote, we have included reference materials here on our website so that you can see the process by which this proposal was developed and see in detail what changes will occur if these bylaws are approved. There is also a link to the materials provided by the Club on its website (see below), including copies of the current and proposed bylaws.

The Executive Committee has discussed the bylaws at some length and there remains a diversity of opinions about the proposal. Some members had hoped that we would make a recommendation, but others believe that it is not appropriate for us to do so. But even if we agreed on whether to make a recommendation, we have not reached any consensus among the member of the committee as to what the recommendation should be. Instead, we are presenting the following to augment the materials provided by the Club and trust that you will use them to assist you in your own decision.

Document	Description
Timeline	Describes the development process from the perspective of the New Hampshire Chapter
Comparison Table	A detailed, point-by-point comparison of the current and proposed bylaws
Summary of Changes	An attempt to organize the changes in a topical outline.
NH Comments (June 2008)	Historical perspective is a copy of the Executive Committee’s response to the first draft, with editorial notes indicating where the second draft incorporated some of our comments. Note that this document is now a year old and does not reflect any current consensus of the Executive Committee.

As illustrated in the timeline, the proposed bylaws have been discussed by many constituencies of the Club, including the leadership of the Chapters, over the last two years and the original proposal has been revised in response to feedback. The process has been open and transparent and we, as chapter leaders, appreciate the opportunity to have been an important part of the discussion.

This proposal is the result of an iterative, give and take process and many feel that it represents a reasonable compromise on the issues that have been discussed. Given the value of some of the changes and the assent of most of the chapters, many feel that we should pass these bylaws. Others feel that some of the important issues have not been satisfactorily addressed, are still uncomfortable with some of the changes that have been included in the new bylaws and/or do not feel that there is a pressing need to act on these changes so quickly. On the other hand is the argument that there has been sufficient time for discussion and further delay would not be productive.

Changes in the process for amending the bylaws would make votes less expensive for the Club and it is possible that some of these continuing concerns could be addressed by future amendments. It is also possible that many of our concerns can be addressed by changes to the Operating Rules, which much more directly govern the activities of the Club. Some are concerned that this will not carry the same weight, since the Operating Rules are subject to change by the Board of Directors, without the need for a formal membership vote, but in reality, as we saw with the bylaws, significant changes would likely include collaboration with staff, chapter leaders and other volunteers and members.

In the end, it is up to you to decide. We hope that you will find the materials included here helpful as you thoughtfully consider your vote. Do not hesitate to contact us if you would like more information.