Note: This proposal is very similar to a proposal that was on the special ballot last fall. There is a significant difference. That proposal, which failed to be approved by the RCA Fellowship, addressed the event that there were not the maximum (9) possible number of couples elected to the Board of Trustees.
This present proposal which will be on the ballot for the 2022 Annual Business Meeting addresses the event that are not the minimum of 4 couples serving on the BOT which is a very different t issue.
To be voted on at the 2022 Annual Business Meeting.
DRAFT Release
Brief Title: Amend the Bylaws to allow appointment of Board members if needed to ensure at least the minimum number of voting couples
Type: Bylaws
Brief description: If at any time there are less than 5 voting couples on the Board of Trustees, the Board shall be empowered to temporally appoint enough willing and qualified (according to the existing By-laws) member couples from the general membership to serve as voting members of the Board only until the next Annual Board Election meeting of the RCA Fellowship. The purpose is to ensure at least the minimum of four voting couples required for the Board to function. Enough couples may be appointed to reach a total of at least the minimum four but shall not exceed a total of five voting couples. The appointed couples would have to stand for election by the fellowship at the next annual election should they wish to continue. Couples who are appointed for a partial service year and are then elected at the next annual election would be able to serve two service years but would not be eligible for the third optional year.
Rationale: The RCA Board of Trustees are subordinate to the Fellowship so that all important decisions are made by the collective group conscience of the Fellowship’s groups. Board members are elected by the Fellowship. This democratic structure should only be changed in an emergency. Having less than 4 voting couples, the minimum required to do business would be an emergency and is not provided for in the current Bylaws.