Gentlemen. I've been reviewing the bylaws.
My anger has changed to resolve. My resolve is to forever prohibit police training on HSC grounds.
We can do this. Bylaws can be changed at either the annual meeting in February or at a special meeting.
The bylaws say this about calling a special meeting.
Special Meetings may be called at any time by the President or a majority of the Board of Directors.
The President, on written request of fifteen (15) voting members, shall be required to call a Special Meeting.
Any Special Meeting shall require at least thirty (30) days written notice
This means that if for any reason, Dan or the BOD won't call a meeting, we can force a special meeting with nothing more than the written request of 15 members.
I don't think that should be hard to get.
Once a special meeting is on the books, Article X defines the process for getting a bylaw change on the agenda as:
These bylaws may be amended by the members at any Annual or Special Meeting called for the purpose, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and entitled to vote provided that intention to amend has been announced at a previous Directors meeting and that a copy of the proposed amendment, together with a notice of the
meeting using the forum, email, and signs posted at the club at least thirty (30) days prior to said meeting
So there it is. 15 requests gets the ball rolling. I have drafted a quick write up of the changes I'd like to see.
While we are at it, my thought was to change the date of the annual meeting. If you have kids youknow why. It always falls during February school break and many members can't attend because they are traveling with their families. Even Dan Hurley has had trouble attending the annual meeting.
This is what I've got so far.
Dear Sirs,
I would like to respectfully request that a special meeting be called to consider the following two changes to the Harvard Sportsmen’s Club Inc.’s bylaws. Referred to from this point forward as the “Club”.
1) Annual Meeting Date
The Annual Meeting falls on the 3rd Thursday in February per the bylaws. This coincides every year with February Break in all Massachusetts public schools.
Because people often travel with their children during this week, participation is substantially less at this meting than it could or should be.
In fact the Club President has had to miss the annual meeting because this date has conflicted with planned family travel. It would strengthen the club if more of its members could participate in the annual meeting. I have been a member for 8 years and have only been to 2 annual meetings because of this conflict.
My proposal is as follows. Change Article VI text, which currently reads
“The Annual Meeting of the club shall be held on the third Thursday of February of each year. “
To:
“The Annual Meeting of the club shall be held on the first Thursday of February each year. “. The actual date of the new meeting is less important than that it not fall on a date when MA schools are on vacation.
2) Police department use of Club property
Because of the lack of support from local police departments during the Covid-19 crisis, I would like to add a new bylaw that reads.
“ No organized training of any public safety group to include Police Departments, SWAT organizations, or officers Officers organizations may be conducted on Club property. This applies only to organized departmental activities and does not affect individual officers who are members of the Club”.
Thoughts??