Proposed Bylaw Changes

These changes are proposed to be decided at the November annual election meeting on November 10, 2025.

Proposed By-law changes - 2025

Article XI: Chapter Elections

Clause 1 currently reads:
Beginning in August, the Board of Directors shall canvas the current Officers and Directors to determine if they wish to seek re-election to their current position or be nominated for any other position. The Board of Directors shall also canvas the Members of all committees and groups to seek those who may be interested in an elected position. Further, the Board of Directors shall make themselves available to the Membership seeking any Members who may be interested and who are eligible to run for an elected position.

Proposed change:
Strike “Beginning in August” and substitute “Beginning in February.”

Comment: This codifies the system we presently use and mirrors the timeline we used this year. August is much too late to canvas present officers as, under the terms of the rest of the article, allows no time to present candidates at the September meeting

Clause 3 currently reads:
Once all nominations have been received, a slate of nominees may be posted at the regular membership meeting place, or any place deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors and published in the Chapter Newsletter.

Proposed change:
Once all nominations have been received, a slate of nominees may be posted at the regular membership meeting place, or any place deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors and published on the chapter website.

Comment: This transitions the chapter to the acknowledgement that online is now the dominant form of communication. Plus, the newsletter was to be phased out recently.

Article X: Board of Directors

Subclause 6 currently reads:
All members of the Board of Directors who are not serving in an Officer capacity (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, plus the Newsletter Editor) will also serve as Chairman of at least one standing committee. This is intended to significantly involve the Board of Directors in the successful operation of the Chapter.

Proposed change:
Strike the entire clause.

Comment:  We don’t use standing committees.

Article VI: Meetings

Currently reads:
Notification for all membership meetings shall be published in the Chapter Newsletter, or by phone, fax, or e-mail.

Proposed change:

Notification for all membership meetings shall be published on the Chapter website, or by phone, fax, or e-mail.

Comment: Similar to the above. The website is the source of information.

Currently reads:

Notification for all membership meetings shall be published in the Chapter Newsletter, or by phone, fax, or e-mail.

1. Membership meetings may be held at such time and place as the President may determine, or may be called by the majority of the Board of Directors. Notice of the membership meetings to the members, stating the time, place, and in general terms the purpose of the membership meeting, shall be given to the members no later than the day before the membership meeting.

Proposed change:
      In addition to the proposal above, change the notice of membership meeting from one day to one month.

Comment:  In addition to aligning the bylaws with our current practice, this change also alleviates the concern voiced at the previous Board of Directors meeting that someone could call a meeting to dissolve on short notice.  This existing clause actually makes that possible NOW.  This change, along with the proposed change in the dissolution section (below) takes care of that problem.

Article VIII Standing Committees:

Currently reads:

Article XIII. Standing Committees

Standing Committees are responsible for specific ongoing functions, projects, programs, and activities to which the organization is committed, or which are needed for effective organization operation. Standing committee members are appointed or reappointed by the President with a term of office of one year. The standing committees include:

1. Board of Directors. The purpose of the Nominating Committee is to conduct the annual process of recruiting nominees for the various elected positions within the Chapter and report these nominations to the Membership of the Chapter.
   

2. Membership Committee. The Membership Committee is responsible for promotion of the organization for the purpose of maintaining and increasing the membership of the organization. The committee shall be responsible for the reviewing the application from any potential new members and informing them of the various membership categories, the purpose of the organization, requirement of membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association of Oshkosh, and the responsibility of members of the organization. The committee shall also be responsible for interviewing members that are dropping their membership in the organization with the intent of determining the cause of this move with the purpose of correcting any problem, perceived or actual, that the member sees.
   

3. Other Standing Committees. Other committees shall be established by resolution of the Board of Directors as it deems necessary. All will report their activities directly to the Board of Directors.

Proposed change: 
  Delete entire article

Comment: Not only do we not use STANDING committees, we don’t use the processes described here. We don’t have a membership committee to review new members. That’s the member coordinator’s job. Or the president’s.  The reviewing of a member’s decision to drop out is a good one, but that also can be done by the membership coordinator and/or president. We’ve instead entrusted the Board of Directors to do most of the functions described here.

Article XVI. Dissolution

Currently reads:

This organization may be dissolved by a two-thirds majority vote of voting members in good standing of this organization. In the event the organization is dissolved, the president shall be responsible for turning all organizational records and assets over to the Experimental Aircraft Association,3000 Poberezny Road, Oshkosh, WI 54902.

Proposed change:
    This organization may be dissolved at a regular monthly meeting in which two-thirds of those attending vote for dissolution. 

Comment: Clarifies that the two-thirds vote is a two thirds majority of those in attendance, rather than two thirds of chapter members eligible to vote (as the present description could be interpreted), which is unworkable. Two-thirds of those present - as opposed to those voting - also provides a higher threshold since a decision not to vote  essentially becomes a “no” vote.  

The inclusion that the meeting will be done at a regular meeting precludes quickly called, poorly noticed meetings.

Additional proposed change:

    Strike “and assets”

Comment: Hands off the cash, Oshkosh!