Page 122 - The Decorative Painter Spring 2014

Proposed Bylaw Amendments, 2014
The following changes to the SDP Bylaws have been proposed. Only members in attendance at the 2014 SDP Annual Meeting in San Diego, California, may vote on these bylaw changes. Proposed additions are underlined and deletions are struck-through.
FiRsT PRoPosED AMEnDMEnT
Submitted by the Board of Directors
ARTICLE XX – AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting of the Society, subject to the following conditions:
sECTion 1.
PRoPosED BY BoARD oF DiRECToRs—All proposed amendments shall have been printed in the official publication last distributed before the Annual Meeting and Convention or have been made available by email notification to the membership at least 90 days prior to the Annual Meeting.
sECTion 2.
PRoPosED BY oTHERs—Proposed amendments which originate outside the Board of Directors shall have been submitted by January August 1 to the Board of Directors for clarification, for consistency of wording and to communicate to the framer of the Bylaw change any conflict with existing Bylaws. The Board of Directors shall have no power to make substantive changes in proposed amendments without approval of the one proposing the amendment.
Rationale: Currently Bylaw proposals must go to press on January 17, as part of Issue #1 of The Decorative Painter. If a Bylaw proposal is not submitted until January 1, the Board of Directors does not have time to communicate with the proposer to clarify conflicts with current Bylaws and to ensure consistency of wording. In addition, The Decorative Painter must undergo last-minute changes to accommodate these proposals, which requires dropping something and reconfiguring the pages, creating additional costs.
Allowing Bylaw proposals to be made available through email notice to the membership up to ninety (90) days prior to the Annual Meeting would allow the board time to respond to valid comments received when proposed Bylaw changes are published Issue #1 of The Decorative Painter. It would also make it possible to publish proposed changes by email, rather than in The Decorative Painter, when more space is needed for projects.
Currently, 85% of members have provided an email address to the Society.
sEConD PRoPosED AMEnDMEnT
Submitted by Edi Finkleman, SDP President 1986-87 ARTICLE V—MEMBERSHIP
sECTion 1: CLAssiFiCATion.
A. Individual – An individual member shall be eligible to vote, to attend the Annual Meeting, to hold office, to apply for Certification and to receive the Society’s official publication(s) to attend the Annual Meeting, to debate, to vote, to hold office, to apply for Certification, to receive the Society’s publication(s), and to belong to chapters. The rights of individual members shall include the right to be informed of policies and procedures affecting them on a timely basis, and to be treated with fairness and respect.
Rationale: To further define the rights of individual members of the Society.
THiRD PRoPosED AMEnDMEnT
Submitted by Edi Finkleman, SDP President 1986–87
ARTiCLE xv—CHAPTERs:
sECTion 1. AFFiLiATion—The Society may grant affiliation to
chapters that comply with all requirements as set forth in Procedures
120 The Decorative Painter • ISSUE NO. 1, 2014
for Chapter Affiliation. Provided for context—NO CHANGE PROPOSED.
sECTion 2. MEMBERsHiP REQuiREMEnTs—Chapters of the Society shall be composed only of members of the Society. Provided for context—NO CHANGE PROPOSED.
sECTion 3. Limitation—Chapters shall be governed by the bylaws of the Society, the bylaws of the chapter and policies and procedures of the Board of Directors of the Society. CHAPTER AuTHoRiTY— Chapters shall have authority to elect officers and set forth chapter dues and fees, and to engage in such activities as are appropriate and compatible with SDP and chapter Bylaws, and the purposes and objectives of the Society. Chapter Bylaws SHALL NOT authorize nor empower a chapter to expel any member, and the Parliamentary Authority SHALL NOT be applicable for disciplinary actions.
Rationale: Re-number to improve sequence of Sections. SDP Bylaws, Article V, Section 4, provides that the Society’s Board of Directors may censure or expel members of any classification “for non-payment of financial obligations” (such as for advertising in The Decorative Painter or for exhibit space during Conference, etc.), or for “failure to abide by the Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Code of Ethics of the Society.” The “Requirements of Affiliated Chapters” and the “Sample Chapter Bylaws” in the existing Handbook for Chapters (as of December 28, 2013) address chapter obligations toward members, and NOWHERE IS A CHAPTER AUTHORIZED TO EXPEL ANY MEMBER. In any instance wherein a chapter would decide to take “disciplinary action” (including expulsion) against a member if it had such authority, the Board of Directors would be deliberative and aloof from disagreements between chapter members to avoid a situation that could too easily lead to impulsive and unwarranted expulsion. Robert’s Rules refers to “removal of membership” as a “drastic step reserved for serious situations” and that “proper and tactful handling of the case is of prime importance.” SDP Bylaws provides authority for censure and/or expulsion as the responsibility and prerogative of the Society’s Board of Directors ONLY, and ONLY for cited cause. It was never intended that a CHAPTER have authority to expel any of its members.
FouRTH PRoPosED AMEnDMEnT
Submitted by Edi Finkleman, SDP President 1986–87
ARTiCLE xv—CHAPTERs: sECTion 4. Chapter Authority— Chapters shall have authority to elect officers and set forth chapter dues and fees. Limitation—Chapters shall be governed by the Bylaws of the Society, the Bylaws of the chapter, and policies and procedures of the Board of Directors of the Society. Policies and procedures of the Board of Directors affecting members shall be posted on the Society website under the heading of “Policies and Procedures of the Board.”
Rationale: Re-number to improve sequence of Sections. All members have the right to be informed of the policies that govern them and have them in written form.
FiFTH PRoPosED AMEnDMEnT
Submitted by Edi Finkleman, SDP President 1986–87
ARTICLE XV—CHAPTERS:
sECTion 5. WiTHDRAWAL oF AFFiLiATion—The Board of Directors of the Society shall have the authority to withdraw affiliated chapter status from chapters who which fail to comply with Section 3 4 of this Article.
Rationale: To improve grammar and clarify sequence of Sections. decorativepainters.org