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RESOLUTIONS AND BYLAWS Are you up-to- date?
RESOLUTIONS AND BYLAWS
Are you up-to-date?
WHAT IS A “BYLAW”? Bylaws are a set of rules and
regulations that govern the business conduct of an organization.
Bylaws define the means by which a board makes decisions.
WHAT IS A “RESOLUTION”?
A resolution provides a record of the association’s actions and decisions in practice. Resolutions include the formal adoption of a motion.
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS What? This
sounds like way to much work to me!
What good do they do us?
Why do we need them?
Do we really want them?
And finally…why bother?
TOO MUCH WORK! Well written bylaws take the “guess work” out of organization governance. Officers and members will not be “reinventing the wheel” each time they deal with routine issues.Don’t guess what you should be doing.
WHAT GOOD DO THEY DO US? Bylaws provide a basis for a common
understanding of the rules and agreed upon practices of an organization.
WHY DO WE NEED THEM? Officers’ and members’ previous
decisions are recorded in writing. Although bylaws can be changed, their existence provides a roadmap for governance until modified.
DO WE REALLY WANT THEM?
Simply put…
How can we know where we are going unless we know where we have been?
WHY BOTHER? If we don’t know who we are, how we are
governed, how we make decisions and how we are structured, how can we explain this to our existing and potential members and officers?
Who would want to join us?
Professional appearances are very important to attract potential members.
IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF BYLAWS
1. Definition of membership 2. Committee structures 3. Frequency/purpose of meetings
IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF BYLAWS 4. Officer criteria
Description and explanation of duties
Replacement/removal of officers
5. Procedures for modification of existing bylaws
HOW CURRENT ARE YOUR BYLAWS? Do your bylaws reflect your current
practices?
Have your bylaws been rewritten to record previous board and/or member decisions?
HOW OFTEN SHOULD BYLAWS BE MODIFIED?
Whenever a change is made to the way your association governs itself.
Whenever you notice that practice no longer follows the bylaw. Either change the bylaw or change the practice!
Questions?
