The Thistle and Quill

SAS Bylaws Amended at Annual Meeting on
                          June 15, 2007

     Proposed revisions to the bylaws were presented to the membership at the Annual General Meeting held at Casey lake Park in North St. Paul on June 15, 2007.  During discussion, amendments were made and incorporated to arrive at the final result.  A motion was made and seconded to make the changes and the motion passed by a unanimous vote.  The changes, with an explanation, are as follows:

Article IV.  Officers Section 1.  Titles.

Old by-law:  The Society shall have five officers:  a President, a First Vice-President, a Second Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.  They, together with the Chairman of the Board, shall comprise the Executive Committee.  Each officer shall be a voting member and elected to the office for a term of one year at the Annual Meeting.  Officers may succeed themselves in office for a maximum of two terms with the exception of the Treasurer who may serve longer.

New by-law:  The Society shall have five officers:  a President, a First Vice-President, a Second Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, and up to four Delegates at Large.  They, together with the Chairman of the Board of Governors, shall comprise the Executive Committee.  Each Officer and Delegate at Large shall be a voting member prior to being elected to an office at the Annual Meeting.  Each office shall have one vote and each Delegate at Large position shall have one vote.  The term of President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be two years.  The term of Delegates at Large shall be one year.  In 2007, the First Vice President and Second Vice President shall be elected for a term of one year.  The offices of President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected in odd numbered years.  The offices of First Vice President and Second Vice President shall be elected in even numbered years.  Officers may succeed themselves in office for a maximum of two terms with the exception of the Treasurer who may serve longer.

Article IV.  Officers Section 6.  (New section 6)

Delegates at large shall attend Executive Committee meetings and perform duties as assigned.

Article IV.  Officers Sections 6, 7, 8, and 9 shall be renumbered as Sections 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Reasons for the by-law changes:

1. Expanding the term length of the five officers allows them to gain experience, improves continuity in the organization, and provides for better long-range planning.
   
   
2. If an office is shared by two people (usually a couple), the vote should be vested in the office and not the individuals to maintain fairness and integrity of the vote.
   
   
3. By having Delegates at Large, we allow more members to participate in the work of governing the Society and sharing the workload.
   
   
4. The Delegate at Large office provides for a learning period for possible future officers. A term of one year provides for continued fresh input into the governing and planning process.
   
   
5. Limiting the terms of the two Vice Presidents to one year in 2007 allows for staggered elections of President and Vice Presidents in succeeding years and provides for continuity in governance.
   
   
6. The new Section 6 provides for defined duties for the Delegates at Large to be set out in the by-laws.