[Businessmtg] Two things to consider in the by-law draft

[Mary A.]

Steve thanks so much for all of your work on the by-laws and to Anne O. for
all of your input prior to presenting the document to the business meeting.

I have two areas that I think need consideration prior to voting on the
by-laws. Since the by-laws will be quite difficult to change once they are
passed, I'd like to see these two areas considered.

The first is the decision to not have minutes. In order to open bank
accounts, banking laws require some kind of proof that the non-profit is
conducting business and the form of that proof is usually minutes of
meetings. Minutes don't have to be extensive notes. They just need to
include the agenda and a sentence or two about the outcome of each agenda
item. When we are asked to present proof of business being conducted, I see
an anonymity problem with presenting a file of business meeting member
input.  Just because we have never had a short synopsis (minutes) of
business meeting business doesn't mean that we should not
start....especially when it will make conducting financial business with
banking institutions easier.

The second area I think needs consideration is the level of detail
procedures in the Accounting Review Procedures section. I think checks and
balances of our financial operation are essential and the procedures listed
are, for the most part, a good idea. However, they narrow the
flexibility of accomodating for changes in future technology and also in
hoop-jumping of using any specific bank or changes in banking
laws/procedures. Who would have thought before the introduction of the
smartphone that landline, plug-into the-wall phones would have mostly
disappeared from homes in a matter of a few years. To
specifically state "print" and "email" assumes that those technologies will
be the best way to ensure appropriate checks and balances 20 years
from now. Those specific procedures also don't allow flexibility with
specific bank procedures. For example, with our current bank (Sound
Community), as ASP treasurer, I was able to access statements online and to
print those statements but not save those statements to an electronic file.
In order to follow these procedures, I would have had to print the
statement, scan the statement, and then send the electronic file. The more
complicated the treasure position is, the more difficult it is to find
candidates to fill that position who have the technology skills. equipment
to follow by-law procedures, and are willing to hoop-jump through
complicated systems. In my opinion, this section should include wording
that is more general but defines the needed checks and balances. Specific
procedures based on current technology, banking regulations, specific bank
procedures, and the technology expertise of whoever the current treasure of
the organization is can be changed as need be and stated on the website.

Again, thank you Steve and Anne O. for your work on this. A lot of time and
thought went into this document. Your efforts are appreciated and I
whole-heartedly support us moving forward with incorporation.

Mary A.