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ACBL Unit 114

Minutes of Special Board Meeting

Atlanta Sectional

December 8, 2007

President Nancy Hetsko called the meeting at Tony’s Restaurant to order at 5:25 PM.

Voting members in attendance were:  Marty Nathan (Sec’y), Ron Cadora (2), Mike McGowan as proxy for Curtis Barbee (3), Dick Browne (4), Kevin Collins (4), Beatrice Kemp as Proxy for Nicolas Hammond (4), Bob Heller (4), Richard Holland (4), Barbara Heller as proxy for Dick Myers (6), and Larry Rich as proxy for Myrtis Howell (10).

Also attending were:  Ann Hedden (Membership/NAP), Mike Kovacich (Past Pres) and Donna Holland (guest)

The minutes of September 29, which had been sent to all board members prior to the meeting, were presented.   They were amended to include the details of the report of Bob Heller for the Special Committee on area and approval thereof.

Committee Reports

As this was a special meeting to address election issues, committee reports were not given.

Old Business

Marty Nathan went through the proposed election procedures that he had been asked to create at the prior board meeting.  The draft had been sent earlier to all board members.

The first issue was whether to have staggered or concurrent terms for area reps.  A related issue was the status of the reps from Area 4 who had been elected to terms starting in March 2007.  Mike Kovacich pointed out that the Bylaws stipulate two-year terms and the board cannot override the bylaws.  Therefore all five area reps from Area 4 terms must continue through the 2009 annual meeting, even though per the DBAA bylaws some were only to have one year terms (DBAA’s effort to stagger terms of their own board.)  Since to the best of anyone’s knowledge no other reps had been elected, all other positions would require an election prior to the next annual meeting.

It was moved and seconded that the five reps from area 4 (which will become the Greater Atlanta area) would have terms ending in 2009 and that all other area rep positions would have terms starting in 2008, assuming they were elected prior to that annual meeting.

This motion had the effect of staggering the board such that 12 reps would be elected to two-year terms prior to the 2008 meeting and 5 board positions would start in 2009.  The Board approved that consideration should be given to amending the bylaws to either achieve more balanced staggering or no staggering.  As this issue is moot for elections prior to the 2008 membership meeting, there was no need for a decision at this time on which was preferable.

The next issue was who should be responsible for overseeing the election process.  While there was some support for the Vice-President being given this responsibility, the majority felt there should be an independent person.  Mike Kovacich pointed out that the bylaws call for a chairperson for election of officers as an ad hoc position.  This would not, however, prevent the creation of a standing chairperson.  Mike thought it made more sense to have one person responsible for all elections – officers and area reps – rather than dividing these duties.  It was also noted that this person should not be anyone running for either an officer or area rep position.

It was moved, seconded and approved that the President appoint a standing Chairperson for Elections to supervise elections of both officers and area reps and that this position be approved by the Board.

After some discussion on who would be the best person for this newly created position, Nancy Hetsko appointed Mike Kovacich as Elections Chairperson.  A motion was made, seconded and approved to ratify this appointment.

A motion was made, seconded and approved to change the bylaws to make the Elections Chair responsible to all elections, not just those for officers.

The third issue discussed was absentee ballot procedures and whether to allow email voting.  Some members feared that email voting might make election more susceptible to fraud.  Others felt that this made it easier for members to vote, an important criteria as not all members go to sectionals where voting takes place.  Ann Hedden suggested a “two-envelope” procedure whereby the actual signed ballot is placed within a second envelope that bears the member’s name and ACBL number.  Mike Kovacich pointed out that the bylaws have an elaborate procedure for absentee balloting.  These procedures, however, require a deadline that would prohibit members from giving their absentee ballots to friends who were going to the election site.  The consensus was that email voting should be permitted but that the election chair and election monitors should devise appropriate absentee voting procedures.

It was moved, seconded and approved that email voting be permitted in elections for area reps.

It was moved, seconded and approved that the Elections Chair and/or Election Monitor determine appropriate absentee ballot procedures following the spirit of the procedure outlined in the Bylaws.

Next discussed was the methodology and timing of preparing an election roll for each area.  Marty reported that the ACBL can include county of residence (rather than just zip code_ on the roster at a cost of two cents per member (around $50).  This eliminates the issue of zip codes overlapping county lines and as a result area boundaries.  While the cost is not prohibitive, we wouldn’t want to incur it several times per year, as election dates may differ by area.  It was noted that the ACBL notifies the Membership Chair of new members, suspensions, etc. 

It was moved, seconded and approved that the Elections Chair should obtain as needed a roster with county identifications and adjust the roster as necessary with information from the Membership Chair.

There are a few members of the Unit who do not reside in area of Unit 114.  This normally occurs where the member regularly travels to and plays in area.  It was decided that the Chair shall determine in which area such members shall vote.

Nancy called for a vote on the election procedures.  The Board approved the procedures, subject to the changes noted above.

New Business

Nancy Hetsko announced that the Youth Pairs tournament was well attended, with 12½ tables in the main game and 5 more in the Beginners’ game.

A motion was made and seconded to purchase of 4 pages in the Unit News section of the District 7 Newsletter that will be issued in early March.  The motion was approved.  It was suggested that this vehicle would be an excellent way to promote the upcoming elections and/or results of area rep elections held prior to the deadline for publication.

Nancy announced that out deadline on Goodwill Committee candidates for the 2008 initiation at Gatlinburg is February 20, 2008   She asked the secretary to poll clubs and others for nominations with a deadline early enough to permit a board vote at the Macon meeting.  We are allowed three nominations based on our membership.

Nancy stated that Atlanta is on the short list of cities the ACBL is considering for a new headquarters.  If you know of someone who might have something to offer to entice them, please let her know.

One area of concern throughout the election procedures revision was whether area reps need live inside the area they represent.  It was pointed out that this should be less of an issue now that reps will be elected rather than appointed.  If an area wants its rep to be a non-resident – presumably because that member plays in or has some other connection – that should be the voters option.  It was moved, seconded and approved that the bylaws need not be changed to require residency in one’s area.

Marty Nathan pointed out that there are many other areas of the bylaws that need review.  Some of the issues discussed earlier requited at least consideration of bylaws changes.  He suggested we need a comprehensive review of the bylaws.  The incoming president Tom Wight should have the right to determine how that could best be accomplished.  It was moved and seconded that the incoming president initiate a comprehensive review of the bylaws.

Our next meeting will be Saturday January 19 between sessions at the Macon sectional

The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 PM

Respectfully submitted,

Martin J.  Nathan

Secretary