Constitution Update

[PeterSL]

With changes to the Chapter logo and signing of the TUC Chapter Charter we need to update our Constitution. This also provides opportunity to clean up/clarify some wording, better reflect our current practices and procedures and hopefully develop a basic Constitution that will not need to be revised on an annual basis. Executives this year and last have worked on this and developed a possible revision (attached).  Input from Chapter members is now being requested before a recommended revision is presented to the membership for vote at the AGM on January 16^th, 2019.

Following is a summary of the proposed changes to date that have any significant impact on procedures and practices. If you would like clarification on any of these changes or have alternatives or additions to propose please email them to the Executive by December 8^th, 2018

• Update terminology e.g. ‘Club’ to ‘Chapter’
• Remove references to meeting location, new membership kit, as these are changeable by the executive as needed and are not a constitutional matter
• Remove references to the history of NLFF as this too is not a constitutional matter. The information has been included in a more comprehensive history and placed on the website.
• Delete from ‘Aims and Objectives’ statements regarding maintaining a library and fly-tying kits as these are processes towards achieving the Aims rather than Aims in and of themselves
• Modify the Aim of interacting with others for purposes of increasing support for the Chapter's Aims to include related governmental and other agencies
• Delete section on Membership Expulsion as membership in TUC is governed by TUC Corporate
• Change quorum requirement from 20 to 12 to correspond to that required by TUC Bylaws. The argument for maintaining a quorum of 20 is that a small group may otherwise propose and approve a significant change to the Constitution. This may be obviated by adding a requirement that proposed amendments cannot violate any requirement of the TUC Chapter Charter.
• Delete the position of Past President from the Executive. This is based on advice in various commentaries on Roberts Rules of Order that the presence of a past president may inhibit the institution of changes and practices that a new executive might want to make. The Past President may of course still be consulted for advice and historical perspective.
• Delete the position of Librarian from the executive and request a volunteer to undertake this function on an annual basis. It is believed this might encourage a member to volunteer who does not want to commit to an executive role.
• Move the listed duties of each Executive position to an Appendix. These duties can be modified at any time by the current executive and are thus not a constitutional matter.
• Rename Newsletter Editor as Communications Director to reflect the change from a monthly Newsletter to more timely, ongoing, online communication.
• Increase executive spending limit from $600 to $750. Since established at $600 in 2007 inflation has been 20%.
• Change AGM from 3^rd Weds of January to ‘prior to the end of January’ in case meeting night or schedule is changed at some future time.
• Revise Appendices to show logos currently authorized by TUC and to add TUC’s Chapter Charter which specifies certain actions and procedures that the Chapter is required to follow

CONSTITUTION - DRAFT REVISION, Oct '18.docx