Memo Regarding Council's
May 23 Meeting
Because of the length of Council’s Tuesday meeting and personal schedules, the minutes are not yet available. They will be sent out next week.
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At its May 23rd meeting, Council unanimously approved a proposed Constitution and Bylaws to be voted on at a congregational meeting to be held on Sunday, September 10th between services. Council also approved a new Policy Book to become effective should the congregation approve the Constitution and Bylaws.
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Council spent most of its past three meetings reviewing the drafts line-by-line. Based on that discussion, as well as feedback from three sessions held for the general membership, a number of changes were made to the drafts originally presented by the Bylaws Task Force in February.
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These changes include retaining the title of “Board” instead of the proposed “Standing Ministries,” emphasizing the collaborative operating nature of those boards with regard to how elected members and staff work together, and strengthening the nominating process to ensure a diversity of opinion and member input in our elected positions.
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More information will be distributed on the proposals as the summer moves along.
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The Constitution will require a two-thirds majority of members voting at a congregational meeting. The Bylaws require a simple majority. A congregational meeting requires a minimum of ten percent of the membership announced at the last annual meeting. This would require 100 members to be present at the September meeting.
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Council decided to wait until September to hold the congregational meeting believing that date would promote a better opportunity for members to prepare and attend this important congregational meeting.
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I want to thank Council members for their diligent and informed discussions. Bylaws are not everyone’s idea of fun and focusing on it for three long meetings is no one’s idea of fun but that is what they did. How ever people feel about the proposed changes, we all owe these Council members our thanks.