SHALL THE BYLAWS BE AMENDED AS PROPOSED IN QUESTION #1?
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YES 178 |
NO
8 |
Question #1: Section I (a) currently states that the bylaws may be amended “by majority vote of the membership at the annual meeting.” The proposed change would read that the bylaws may be amended “as set forth in Section VIII of these bylaws.”
Discussion: Section I (a) and Section VIII are in conflict because Section VIII requires that amendments to the bylaws be approved by majority vote of the membership through mailed ballots. This change would make the amendment procedure consistent with longstanding VJJA practice. |
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SHALL THE BYLAWS BE AMENDED AS PROPOSED IN QUESTION #2? |
YES
181 |
NO
5 |
Question #2: Section III (b) currently states that district election ballots shall be returned to “the District Secretary.” The proposed change would require the district ballots to be returned to “an Election Officer appointed by the District Chairperson with the majority consent of the district officers.”
Discussion: Should the District Secretary be running for re-election in a contested election, this change would provide for a neutral party to collect the ballots. |
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SHALL THE BYLAWS BE AMENDED AS PROPOSED IN QUESTION #3? |
YES
180 |
NO
6 |
Question #3: These proposed changes in Section VII address the Association’s committee structure. The first change would split the current Standards & Benefits Committee into two separate committees: the Standards Committee and the Benefits Committee. The Editorial Committee would be renamed the Publications Committee. The current Website, Training and Grants Committees would be elevated from ad hoc to standing committees, while also renaming Grants to Resource Development.
Discussion: Professional Standards and Benefits are two separate issues which would best be addressed by two separate committees. Since the Association publishes more than just a newsletter, Publications Committee is a more inclusive name for the Editorial Committee. The current ad hoc committees have been functioning long enough to become standing committees. There are additional resources to be explored beyond grants. |
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SHALL THE BYLAWS BE AMENDED AS PROPOSED IN QUESTION #4? |
YES
179 |
NO
7 |
Question #4: This change would add a paragraph (h) to Section I, which would read: “Class II officers unable to attend meetings of the Board of Directors shall assign and send their proxy with another elected district officer or member of that district’s advisory board.”
Discussion: This would allow a District Chair unable to attend a Board meeting to send another district officer or advisory board member as his or her proxy. This is being done in practice but has never been reflected in the bylaws. |
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SHALL MEMBERSHIP DUES BE RAISED AS PROPOSED IN QUEST #5? |
YES
171 |
NO
15 |
Question #5: Beginning with the FY 2008 Membership Year (July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008), VJJA professional membership dues would increase from $15.00 per year to $20.00 per year.
Discussion: The association’s dues have remained unchanged for more than 20 years (last increase was in 1984) and are considerably below those of other professional associations in the Commonwealth. During the past two decades, in the face of rising costs for training, postage, printing services, travel and supplies, the association’s operating expenses have increased considerably. Costs for graduate and undergraduate courses have also increased necessitating the need for an increase in the amount of our annual scholarships. Lastly, in 2005 the Board created the Children’s Advocacy Fund to contribute to philanthropic activities in support of court-involved children, but has not had the means to add the line item to the budget. A dues increase will address each of these issues, allow more money to be rebated to the districts for training purposes and provide for increased benefits. |
