Council on Legislation more active in adopting changes to Clubs

Posted by John Borst on Apr 28, 2019
Attendance Club Constitution Council on Legislation Membership Rotary International
#2 in a series
COL approved ten changes to Clubs in the areas of Administration, Membership and Meetings and Attendance. They also rejected ten proposals. Two items were withdrawn.  
None of the changes were radical in any way. Under Administration in 19-18 a statement endorsing diversity in membership was approved. In 19-22 if a sitting president and the club have not found a replacement for the club president then that president can sit for a full additional year.  
 
Clubs will now be required to present a budget to it members before years end and will have an extra 7 days to report a change in name or locality as the number was raised from 15 to 21.days. Similarly, if a club changes it name of locality the time to info Rotary has been increase from 10 to 21 days.
 
A Satellite club will not have to have an audit of its budget. It may be reviewed by the parent club instead. You will also have a full year to report a make up rather than just 14 days.
 
The term occupation was added to “business and profession” in an attempt to better define classifications something I suspect is a little like closing the barn door after all the cattle are out.
 
I suspect the biggest disappointment to our leadership cohort is the rejection of a proposal to drop the attendance reporting and replace it with record of involvement instead. The idea in my opinion is a good one. However, even had it been approved there would be a huge resistance to it as few track their hours. It should not in my opinion be mandatory. Making it voluntary may permit it time to grow without alienating those who just wish to work on Rotary projects without any unnecessary bureaucratic noise. That is how I think attendance is viewed by a majority of my Club members. Personally, attendance is a bore; I couldn’t care less about it and if someone else wants to track it fine, but I left school long ago.
 
Items 19-31 to 19-32 were attempts to reverse the flexibility provisions and to increase the number of meeting from twice a month to 40 were withdrawn or failed.
 
A summary of the voting with brief descriptions of the changes under each item follow. Changes are in italics. Words struct though as proposed deletions. An underline is a new or added wording. Bold means the decision was approved. Where.... is visible I have removed words because the number of digits exceeded the limit imposed by the ClubRunner system.
 
 
PRELIMINARY VOTING RESULTS FOR 2019 COUNCIL ON LEGISLATION
18-29
Club Administration
YES
NO
RESULT
19-18
To amend the provisions on membership
Article 4  Membership in Clubs
4.070. Limitations on Membership.
added the following.  Each club shall endeavor to build a well-balanced membership that celebrates diversity.
305
204
Adopted
19-19
To remove Article 3, Purposes, from the Standard Rotary Club Constitution
Article 3  Purposes
The purposes of this club are to pursue the Object of Rotary, carry out successful service projects based on the Five Avenues of Service, contribute to the advancement of Rotary by strengthening membership, support The Rotary Foundation, and develop leaders beyond the club level.
97
413
Rejected
19-20
To remove committees from the Standard Rotary Club Constitution
Section 7 — Committees. This club should have the following committees:
•             Club Administration
•             Membership
•             Public Image
•             Rotary Foundation
•             Service Projects
Additional committees may be appointed as needed.
115
396
Rejected
19-21
To require that key club committee chairs be board members
Section 7 — Committees. This club should have the following committees whose chair shall be a board member:
•             Club Administration
•             Membership
•             Public Image
•             Rotary Foundation
•             Service Projects
Additional committees may be appointed as needed.
238
269
rejected
19-22
To amend the term of the club president
Section 5 — Election of Officers.
b) Term of President. ....changed this part.... The president shall take office on 1 July and shall serve a period of one (1) year or until a successor has been duly elected and qualified.  In cases where a successor has not been duly elected, the term of the current president shall be extended for one year only.
279
225
adopted
19-23
To revise the schedule for electing the club president
(b) Term of President. The president shall be elected as provided in the bylaws, not more than two (2) years thirty-six (36) months but not less than eighteen (18) twenty-four (24) months prior to the day of taking office and shall serve as president-nominee-designate upon election and shall assume the title of president-nominee on 1 July two years prior to assuming office as president.  The nominee shall take the title of president-elect on 1 July in the year prior to taking office as president.  The president shall take office on 1 July and shall serve a period of one (1) year or until a successor has been duly elected and qualified.
170
344
rejected
19-24
To require the presentation of a budget and an annual report at the club’s annual meeting
Article 8  Meetings
Section 2 — Annual Meeting.
a) An annual meeting for the election of officers, presentation of an annual budget, including income and expenditures, and presentation of an annual report shall be held not later than 31 December as provided in the bylaws.
408
102
Adopted as amended
19-25
To replace the requirement for attendance reports with a report on service
Article 4  Membership in Clubs
4.090. Attendance Reports. Community Engagement Reports.
Each club shall forward monthly attendance reports of its meetings to the governor within 15 days of the last meeting of each month.  Non-districted clubs shall forward such report to the general secretary. Each club shall report its volunteer hours and service project contributions to the general secretary within 15 days of the last meeting of each quarter.
204
268
rejected
19-26
To lengthen the notice period for changing a club’s name or locality
Section 2 — Amending Article 2 and Article 4. Article 2 (Name) and Article 4 (Locality of the Club) of the constitution shall be amended at any regular meeting of this club, a quorum being present, by the affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of all voting members present and voting, provided that notice of such proposed amendment shall have been mailed to each member and to the governor at least ten (10) twenty-one (21) days before such meeting, and provided further, that such amendment shall be submitted to the board of directors of RI for its approval and shall become effective only when so approved.  The governor may offer an opinion to the board of directors of RI regarding the proposed amendment. 
398
96
adopted
19-27
To allow a club not to use “club” as part of its name
Section 2 — Composition of Clubs
(d) In countries where the word “club” has an inappropriate connotation, Rotary clubs, with the approval of the board, will not be obliged to use it in their names. If a club so chooses, it may omit the word “club” from its name.
 
255
252
rejected
19-28
To revise the provisions regarding locality of a club
Article 2  Membership in Rotary International
2.020. Locality of a Club.
A club may be organized in a locality which contains the minimum number of classifications for organizing a new club.  A club may be organized in the same a locality as with one or more existing other clubs.  The locality of a club that conducts interactive its activities primarily online shall be worldwide or as otherwise determined by the club board determines.
404
104
adopted
19-29
To amend the satellite club reporting procedure
c) Satellite Club Reporting Procedure. A satellite club shall, annually, submit o the president and board of this club a report on its membership, its activities and programs, accompanied by a financial statement and audited or reviewed accounts, for inclusion in this club’s reports for its annual general meeting and such other reports as may, from time to time, be required by this club.
423
78
adopted
30-36
Meetings and Attendance
YES
NO
RESULT
19-30
To move the provisions allowing for flexibility in meetings and attendance
Article 7  Exceptions to Provisions on Meetings and Attendance
The bylaws may include rules or requirements not in accordance with article 8, section 1; article 12; and article 15, section 4, of this constitution.  Such rules or requirements shall supersede the rules or requirements of these sections of this constitution; a club, however, must meet at least twice per month.
and in article 8 (pages 88-89 MOP)
Article 8 Article 7  Meetings  
Section 1 — Regular Meetings. [See article 7 for exceptions to the provisions of this section.]
e) Exceptions. The bylaws may include rules or requirements not in accordance with Article 7.  Such rules or requirements shall supersede the rules or requirements of these sections of this constitution; a club, however, must meet at least twice per month
and in article 12 (pages 91-93 MOP)
Article 12 Article 11  Attendance [See article 7 for exceptions to the provisions of this article.]
Section 6 — Exceptions. The bylaws may include rules or requirements not in accordance with Article 11.  Such rules or requirements shall supersede the rules or requirements of these sections of this constitution.
and in article 15 (pages 94-95 MOP)
Article 15 Article 14  Duration of Membership
Section 4 — Termination    Non-attendance. [See article 7 for exceptions to the provisions of this section.]
c) Exceptions. The bylaws may include rules or requirements not in accordance with Article 14, section 4.  Such rules or requirements shall supersede the rules or requirements of these sections of this constitution
336
174
adopted
19-31
To remove the provisions allowing for flexibility in meetings and attendance
 
 
withdrawn
19-32
To remove the provisions allowing for flexibility in meetings and attendance
 
 
withdrawn
19-33
To provide that clubs shall meet at least 40 times per year
Article 7  Exceptions to Provisions on Meetings and Attendance
The bylaws may include rules or requirements not in accordance with article 8, section 1; article 12; and article 15, section 4, of this constitution.  Such rules or requirements shall supersede the rules or requirements of these sections of this constitution; a club, however, must meet at least twice per month 40 times per year.
122
384
rejected
19-34
To amend the provisions for counting attendance at a club meeting
Article 12  Attendance [See article 7 for exceptions to the provisions of this article.]
 Prosed adding the following...., or cannot attend but the member’s spouse or partner attends, or participates in the regular meeting posted on the club’s website within one week following its posting, or makes up for an absence in any of the following ways:
162
348
rejected
10-35
To amend the provisions for making up an absence
Article 12  Attendance [See article 7 for exceptions to the provisions of this article.]
 Section 1 — General Provisions. .....proposed changing 
(a)          14 Days Before or After the Meeting. During the Same Year. If, within fourteen (14) days before or after the regular time for that meeting the same year, the member
and  deleting
When a member is outside the member’s country of residence for more than fourteen (14) days, the time restriction shall not be imposed so that the member may attend regular meetings or satellite club meetings in another country at any time during the travel period, and each such attendance shall count as a valid make-up for any regular meeting missed during the member’s time abroad.
286
217
adopted
19-36
To amend the provisions for making up an absence
Article 1  Definitions
As used in the bylaws, unless the context otherwise clearly requires, the words in this article shall have the following meanings:
Added-
10.  RotaKids:     A program for children 5 to 12 years of age sponsored by a Rotary club
Article 12  Attendance……attends a regular meeting of a Rotaract or, Interact, or RotaKids club, Rotary Community Corps, or Rotary Fellowship or of a provisional Rotaract or, Interact, or RotaKids club, Rotary Community Corps, or Rotary Fellowship; or
115
392
rejected
37-39
Membership
YES
NO
RESULT
10-37
To amend the provisions regarding membership in clubs
Article 4  Membership in Clubs
4.060. Holders of Public Office.
Persons elected or appointed to public office for a specified time shall not be eligible to active membership in a club under the classification of such office.  This restriction shall not apply to persons holding positions or offices in schools, colleges, or other institutions of learning or to persons who are elected or appointed to the judiciary.  Members who are elected or appointed to public office for a specified period may continue as such members in their existing classifications during the period in which they hold such office.
4.080. RI Employment.
Any club may retain in its membership any member employed by RI.
380
125
Adopted
10-38
To amend the qualifications for membership
To remove or from and/or
120
376
Rejected
10-39
To amend the composition of clubs and to remove classification limitations
Section 2 — Composition of Clubs.
  1. A club shall be composed of adult persons who demonstrate good character, integrity, and leadership; possess good reputation within their business, profession, occupation, and/or community; and are willing to serve in their community and/or around the world
.......and.....
(b)Each club shall have a well-balanced membership in which no one business, profession, occupation, or type of community service, or other classification predominates. The club shall not elect a person to active membership from a classification if the club already has five or more members from that classification, unless the club has more than 50 members, in which case the club may elect a person to active membership in a classification so long as it will not result in the classification making up more than 10 percent of the club’s active membership.  Members who are retired shall not be included in the total number of members in a classification.  The classification of a transferring or former member of a club, or a Rotaractor or Rotary alumnus as defined by the board, shall not preclude election to active membership even if the election results in club membership temporarily exceeding the above limitations.  If a member changes classification, the club may continue the member’s membership under the new classification notwithstanding these limitations.
Section 2 — Club Membership Composition as a Tool to Promote Diverse ClubMembership. This club’s membership should represent a cross section of the businesses, professions, occupations, and civic organizations in its community, including age, gender and ethnic diversity.
Section 2 — Club Membership Composition as a Tool to Promote Diverse Club ….
  1. How to Rejoin. When the membership of a member has terminated as provided in subsection (a) of this section, such person, provided such person’s membership was in good standing at the time of termination, may make new application for membership, under the same or another classification business, profession, occupation, community service, or other classification.
Section 3 — Termination    Non-payment of Dues.
Reinstatement. The board may reinstate the former member to membership upon the former member’s petition and payment of all indebtedness to this club.  However, no former member may be reinstated to active membership if the former member’s classification is in conflict with article 11, section 2.
Section 5 — Termination    Other Causes.
(c) Filling Classification. When the board has terminated the membership of a member as provided for in this section, this club shall not elect a new member under the former member’s classification until the time for hearing any appeal has expired and the decision of this club or of the arbitrators has been announced.  However, this provision shall not apply if, by election of a new member, the number of members under the said classification would remain within provided limitations even if the board’s decision regarding termination is reversed.
403
108
Adopted