[wplug-members] Draft Minutes for Nominations Meeting, 9/16/2006

[David Ostroske]

Here are the draft minutes from our last membership meeting. We've
prepared the ballots for the Board election and the two bylaws
amendment proposals, and you'll be seeing them by the end of the
night.

Remember, the annual meeting is October 21! We'll be meeting at the
Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill again, at 12:30pm.

One other note: if you were one of the original pre-registered members
of WPLUG, and you haven't renewed your membership yet, please get in
contact with me so we can arrange your renewal. You won't be able to
vote on October 21 if you haven't renewed, but you'll have the
opportunity to do so on the 21st if you risk waiting until then.

---
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA LINUX USERS GROUP
Nominations Meeting, September 16th, 2006, 12:30pm
Carnegie Library, Squirrel Hill, Forbes & Murray Ave

CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 3:24pm.

There were 18 Members present at the meeting, including 4 Board members:
* Bill Eicher
* Jason Freshwater
* Brian Sammon
* Ted Rodgers
* Mike Hansell
* Patrick Wagstrom, Treasurer
* Mike O'Connor
* Brian Seklecki
* David Ostroske, Secretary
* Beth Lynn Eicher, Vice-Chair
* Matt Hughes
* Bill Moran, Chair
* Robert Turley
* Judi Galardi
* Scott Kriebel
* John McCarter
* Vance Kochenderfer
* Dirk Kalp

Also present:
* David Tessitor

Reading of Minutes and Reports were skipped. They will be taken up at
the Annual Meeting on October 21st.

NOMINATIONS
The following people were nominated for the WPLUG Board:
* Bill Moran
* Beth Lynn Eicher
* David Ostroske
* Patrick Wagstrom
* Chris Teodorski
* Mike Hansell
* Judi Galardi
* Ted Rodgers
* Vance Kochenderfer
* Brian Seklecki
* Greg Simkins

Volunteers were sought to aid with the election process. The following
people volunteered, and were accepted without objection:
* Mike O'Connor
* Robert C. Turley
* John McCarter

DUES CHANGE RECOMMENDATION
The Board recommended annual dues of $20.00. Patrick Wagstrom moved
the recommendation. After debate, the motion was adopted.

PR COMMITTEE
Vance moved (as given in the notice) that the PR Committee charter be
amended by striking the words "and serve as its chair" from the WPLUG
Vice-Chair's duties:
---BEGIN
WPLUG PR Committee

A Public Relations Committee shall be appointed by the Board, and
shall be renewed promptly after a new Board takes office. The WPLUG
Vice-Chair shall be a member of this committee. Its duties shall
include:
1. To swell the ranks of WPLUG membership.
2. To establish and maintain WPLUG's reputation as a key organization
for Open Source in western Pennsylvania.
3. To maintain a high level of awareness of WPLUG activities with the
general public.
4. To obtain favorable publicity for WPLUG.
5. To establish and maintain contact with other Open Source
organizations to coordinate efforts to further the cause of Open
Source.

The committee shall provide regular reports to the Board and to the membership.
---END

After debate, the motion was adopted unanimously.

BYLAWS AMENDMENTS
The Board's recommendation for the amendments to the bylaws were
addressed in three parts.

* Section 5.4 - Membership Meetings, Quorum
The Board presented the recommended amendments to section 5.4, the
membership quorum language. After debate and amendment, the proposal
was accepted unanimously as follows:
---BEGIN
5.4 Quorum

Ten members or one-fifth of the membership, whichever is less, shall
constitute a quorum of the membership.
---END

This bylaws amendment proposal will be submitted to the Membership as
a question on an Absentee Ballot, which will be counted on October
21st. Adoption will require a 2/3 vote of all received ballots.

* Sections 4.1 and 4.3 - Board of Directors, Definition and Nominations
The Board presented the recommended amendments to sections 4.1
(inserting "five (5)" before "Directors" in the first sentence) and
4.3 (striking out the paragraphs from "The number of Directors..." to
"In making this Determination..."). After debate and amendment, the
following proposal, consisting of three parts, were accepted:

Part 1: that the words "five (5)" be inserted into the first sentence
of Section 4.1 before the word "Directors":
---BEGIN
4.1 Definition

A Board of {INSERT: five (5)} Directors shall be elected by the WPLUG
membership to handle the day-to-day affairs of WPLUG. The members of
this Board shall be individually referred to as Directors.
---END

Part 2: that the second and third paragraphs be struck out of Section
4.3 of the bylaws:
---BEGIN
{STRIKE:
The number of Directors to be elected shall be as follows:
  * less than 50 Members: 5 Directors
  * 50 to 69 Members: 6 Directors
  * 70 to 89 Members: 7 Directors
  * 90 to 109 Members: 8 Directors
  * 110 or more Members: 9 Directors

In making this determination, all Members shall be counted regardless
of voting status.
}
---END

Part 3 (this is a proviso, a transitional rule): Provided that in an
election taking place in the session where this motion is adopted,
only the five individuals receiving the highest number of points are
eligible to be declared elected.

* Article 3 - Members
The Board presented the recommended amendments to Article 3, the
language defining the terms and rights of membership. The proposal was
debated and amended. However, the meeting adjourned before the
proposal could be accepted for absentee balloting. The amended
proposal, as follows, will be taken up at the annual meeting on
October 21:
---BEGIN
3 MEMBERS

3.1 Definition
A natural person becomes a Member of WPLUG by completing and signing
an application for membership and paying dues. {STRIKE: The
identifying and contact information to be provided on the application
shall be set by the Board of Directors. Dues shall be recommended by
the Board and approved by the membership. The term of membership shall
be one year.}

3.2 {STRIKE: Voting Rights} {INSERT: Terms of Membership}

{STRIKE:
During the first 56 days (8 weeks) of membership, Members are not
permitted to vote, be nominated for office, or hold a position on the
Board.

Any Member whose dues are 28 or more days (4 or more weeks) in arrears
shall not be permitted to vote.
}

{INSERT:
The term of membership shall last for one year from the reception by
the WPLUG Board of the payment of dues and application for membership.
Renewal of membership shall be accomplished by filling out a
membership renewal form not more than 91 days (13 weeks) before the
end of the membership term and by paying the membership dues.
Membership renewal shall add an additional year to the member's term
of membership.

The identifying and contact information to be provided on the
application shall be set by the Board of Directors. Dues shall be
approved by the membership.
}

3.3 {STRIKE: Lapsed Membership} {INSERT: Voting Rights}

{STRIKE:
Any Member whose dues are 182 or more days (26 or more weeks) in
arrears shall be automatically dropped from membership. Members in
arrears but not yet dropped have the automatic right to reinstate a
lapsed membership by paying back dues. The Board shall have the power
to reinstate a former Member dropped for nonpayment and may elect to
waive past dues.
}

{INSERT:
All Members in good standing shall be allowed to vote. Voting rights
shall commence one week after certification of initial membership.
This restriction can be waived by unanimous consent of members present
at the meeting.
}
---END

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 4:30pm.

-- 
David Ostroske <eksortso at gmail.com>