 |
 |
FROM THE BOARD
By Pat Dinkey
You Spoke. We Listened. Following the recent 2009 Annual Member Meeting, the Board of Directors got some valuable feedback from GRRR Members and volunteers, along with some questions likely to be on the minds of others, and the Board has already taken that feedback to heart and acted on it.
“What If I Want To Serve On GRRR’s Board of Directors?”
There are five seats on GRRR’s Board of Directors. Members elect Directors to serve on the Board for a two year term. Any Member can run for the Board, and incumbent Directors may seek re-election (there are no term limits – very typical for non-profit corporations). Elections are held at every annual Member meeting, and because Director seats are “staggered”, not all five seats are elected every year. (The advantage of staggered terms is to ensure continuity, i.e., the whole Board doesn’t turn over at one time.) Put another way: Directors are split into two “groups.” The first group is comprised of three of the five seats, and the second group is comprised of the remaining two seats. In a given year, the first group is up for election, and the following year, the second group is up for election (then, that rolling two-year process repeats itself). At the 2009 meeting, Members elected Pat Dinkey, Susie Donaldson and Staci Smith whose terms end approximately at the end of 2011. At the next Annual Member Meeting later this year, Members will vote on the other two director seats currently held by Debbie Davis and Mary Kenton. The top vote-getter(s) win the open seats (called a plurality). Those two Directors will serve until (essentially) the end of 2012.
If you want to nominate yourself or someone else, here’s what you need to know: nominations must be sent in writing to GRRR’s president (Mary Kenton) at GRRR’s mailing address and must be received, in the case of this year’s election, no later than October 7, 2010 (the annual Member meeting will be held on Sunday, November 7, 2010.) Late nominations might be considered, but special requirements apply, and in no case may nominations be received (again, for this coming year) no later than October 22, 2010 (which is the same day Notices of the Annual Meeting must be mailed to Members). One need not be a Member but must be a resident of Colorado.
“What If I Want To Be A GRRR Officer?”
Officers are appointed by the Board (as compared to Directors being elected by Members) which appointments are made right after the annual election of Directors (the annual Board meeting takes place every year right after the Member meeting). Officers are appointed or re-appointed yearly and serve at the sole discretion of the Board. The Bylaws prescribe four officer positions: president, one or more vice presidents (appointed by the Board or the president), secretary and treasurer. The Board and president have discretion to create other non-officer positions (although as an all volunteer non-profit organization, that’s not something GRRR has been able to afford yet).
If you’d like the Board to consider you for a position, you should submit your request to the president at GRRR’s mailing address. Applicants should include the position applied for, qualifications and experience, when the applicant is available to begin serving, and any other pertinent information suitable for consideration. There is no deadline for submitting a request, but because officer appointments are made at the annual Board meeting in early November, it is strongly suggested that requests be submitted well in advance of then to give Board members a chance to review and consider the applicant. The Board and president each have discretion to make changes “mid-year” to officer positions (not limited to just once per year after election of Directors).
“GRRR Is Successful, Financially And Otherwise, and Its Level Of Professionalism Should Reflect That Degree Of Success”
This is absolutely true, not just with respect to the quality of events, adoption services, merchandise, and other areas, but also within GRRR’s own “organizational borders.” With success come expectations of professionalism, and nowhere is that more important than at the top of an organization … its Board of Directors. One of the best ways to improve upon a Board’s professionalism (although perhaps not a “piece of cake” for a group of volunteers) is to ensure that the organization’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws are being followed, that the organization has its own identity and existence (and isn’t overly reliant on individuals) and that a structure is in place to ensure it all. For some time, the corporate secretary position has been filled with the help of volunteers who are often doing other important volunteer work. The Board recognizes that the Bylaws require GRRR to have a secretary performing the designated duties and that there is room to improve GRRR’s governance practices, for example, at the Board’s own meetings and at annual Member meetings. So, in response to your feedback and in recognizing this need, at the January 2010 Board meeting, the Board appointed GRRR Member Craig Donaldson, who is very experienced in the corporate governance and law, to fill that position (concurrently with other officers). We’re confident this move will help the Board institute the professional governance our Members expect.
What Is “Mary’s Golden Manor?”
The idea began as just a dream but has gotten serious interest, consideration and some momentum, but at the same time, feedback tells us that some Members are confused about what this is all about.
To clear up any misunderstandings, this idea is not about buying a house for Mary Kenton. The name was just a working title. We’ll come up with a better project name. It’s about raising money to buy real property in order to enhance GRRR’s services, save money if at all possible, and perhaps most importantly, to institute the things necessary for any organization to thrive beyond the present resources and commitments of its individual members. It’s about continuity to ensure GRRR’s long-term existence and success. All of us want our donations (past and future) and all of our hard work to have meaning well beyond our own lifetimes. This concept has actually been put into practice by at least two golden rescue groups in the eastern U.S. GRRR’s Board is studying the idea and will be sharing its finding with Members over the coming months, and Member’s input will be solicited in the near term. A subcommittee has been formed to evaluate this idea for the Board. Members will ultimately have the final word. After considering recommendations from the subcommittee as well as Members, if the Board determines that this idea is viable and in GRRR’s best interests, a fully-developed proposal would be brought to the full membership for a formal vote. We are very mindful of the need for accounting for funds collected to date and any raised in the future.
Coincidentally, for quite some time, the Board has been considering the question ‘what is the vision for GRRR’s future?’ and it plans to spend more time on that topic in 2010. Whether to purchase property is certainly an idea that should be considered when laying out a long-term, strategic plan for GRRR.
|
