[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] [ARC Members Only] Proxy Form for Tax-exempt Proposal Referendum

Joe Porcelli porcej at gmail.com
Wed Oct 11 10:19:59 EDT 2023 

Howdy folks,



Hope ya’ll are doing well.  I'm now super confused as to what's going on
with the proposed changes to the Articles of Incorporation.



After a careful review of Roberts Rules of Order I recommend the following
course of action:

   - Strike the vote on the proposed Articles of Incorporation
   - A motion be made to empower a committee to investigate non-profit
   status with following parameters:
      - The committee members should be named in the meeting and include
      the president.
      - Defined scope to seeking 501(c)3 or 501(c)7 status (or whatever
      scope you feel is relevant)
      - Defined time whatever time frame you feel appropriate (I would
      suggest between 1 and 3 months)
      - At the end of the allotted time, the committee presents a proposal
      with accompanying reasoning to the general membership.  That
proposal could
      be one of the following:
         - Status quo - the committee recommends maintaining course with
         the organization.
         - Seek 501(c)3 status - The committee recommends reincorporating
         as a 501(c)3 corporation and why
            - The committee should also recommend a path towards
            reincorporating as a 501(c)3 organization (proposed Articles of
            Incorporation/bylaws change) or how to go about choosing the same
         - Seek 501(c)7 status - The committee recommends reincorporating
         as a 501(c)7 corporation and why
            - The committee should also recommend a path towards
            reincorporating as a 501(c)7 organization (proposed Articles of
            Incorporation/bylaws change) or how to go about choosing the same
         - Once presented at a general membership meeting, a motion should
      be made to vote on the committee's proposal.  If the proposal includes
      changes to the organization's defining documents, then the vote should be
      scheduled for a future meeting and the documents made available to the
      general membership for review.  If the committee's proposal is to move
      forward in some other way (seek legal counsel etc) a review period may or
      may not be appropriate and the vote could occur straight away.

To be clear, I don't have an issue with the proposed changes to the
Articles of Incorporation.  I do however feel the process undertaken thus
far is flawed and that the membership should get a seat at a table that
decides what our Organization will look like in the future.



Cheers,

Joe, KT3I

On Wed, Oct 11, 2023 at 9:13 AM <don.ki4d at gmail.com> wrote:

> Bob - appreciate your comments.  I have often remembered how we wisely took
> a pause to consider your comments about the revisions to the bylaws in
> 2020-2021 when I was president.  Thanks to you for that.
>
>
>
> I will try to answer your question, which I consider very valid.  At the
> outset Sean, I, and others had assumptions that the proposal was a "no
> brainer,"  meaning that the assumption was "who could be against tax-exempt
> status," so we figured if we did our homework with the board, it would fly
> right through with membership.  After all, in taxes and for tax return
> preparation, we pay out about one-fourth of our annual income from club
> dues; and with tax-exempt status (501(c)(3) we would become eligible for
> grants from the ARRL and the City of Alexandria to help fund club equipment
> and other needs in the future. The proxies were constructed with that
> optimism and
>
> thought process in mind.  Obviously, that is not the situation we are
> facing
> now with the misleading and alarming information that has been circulated
> about the articles.  The tax-exempt status is no longer a "no-brainer" with
> some people..
>
>
>
> So, my advice to everyone is to wait for the outcomes of meetings about the
> proposal before voting, while we get to the bottom of things.
>
>
>
> 73
>
> Don, KI4D
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Bob Brickner <BBrickner at gbbinc.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2023 8:42 AM
> To: don.ki4d at gmail.com; 'Kenneth R. van Wyk' <ken at vanwyk.org>; 'Alexandria
> Radio Club' <alexandriaradioclub at mailman.qth.net>; 'President (W4HFH)'
> <President at w4hfh.org>
> Subject: Re: [Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] [ARC Members Only] Proxy
> Form
> for Tax-exempt Proposal Referendum
>
>
>
> Don, thanks for the update about the process. But I am really confused now.
> If the intent is to solicit member input and have a good debate about
> issues, and then consider such to redraft the document for another meeting
> (maybe two), why are Proxy votes being submitted on the current draft for
> Friday night if that is not the final document? Was the process for
> handling
> this proposed revision clearly described to all members and being done in
> accordance with the current charter? Thanks, Bob Brickner KM4TZZ
>
>
>
> Get Outlook for iOS <https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
>
>   _____
>
> From: alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> <mailto:alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net>
> <alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> <mailto:alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net> > on behalf of
> don.ki4d at gmail.com <mailto:don.ki4d at gmail.com>  <don.ki4d at gmail.com
> <mailto:don.ki4d at gmail.com> >
> Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2023 8:01:00 AM
> To: 'Kenneth R. van Wyk' <ken at vanwyk.org <mailto:ken at vanwyk.org> >;
> 'Alexandria Radio Club' <alexandriaradioclub at mailman.qth.net
> <mailto:alexandriaradioclub at mailman.qth.net> >; 'President (W4HFH)'
> <President at w4hfh.org <mailto:President at w4hfh.org> >
> Subject: Re: [Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] [ARC Members Only] Proxy
> Form
> for Tax-exempt Proposal Referendum
>
>
>
> Thanks, Ken - your concerns are valid.  However, there never was a plan to
> put all of the words in the articles "in concrete" and only allow voting on
> the existing words; hence, the articles ae still in draft.  That thought
> never even occurred to me.  In the corporate and business model, there is
> an
> orderly process that allows for discussions of proposals before voting by
> membership, which includes changes if there a consensus.  That is exactly
> what we were attempting to do.  There was a preemptive strike on the
> proposal with misleading and alarming information before it was released,
> so
> that is where we are now.
>
>
>
> I can assure you that all of this will be addressed fully at the meeting on
> Friday, and if not, continuing on following meeting(s) until it is done.
>
>
>
> Again, thanks for your thoughtful consideration.
>
>
>
> 73
>
> Don, KI4D
>
>
>
> From: Kenneth R. van Wyk <ken at vanwyk.org <mailto:ken at vanwyk.org> >
> Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2023 6:51 AM
> To: Alexandria Radio Club <alexandriaradioclub at mailman.qth.net
> <mailto:alexandriaradioclub at mailman.qth.net> >; President (W4HFH)
> <President at w4hfh.org <mailto:President at w4hfh.org> >
> Cc: alexandria-radio-club-current-membership at googlegroups.com
> <mailto:alexandria-radio-club-current-membership at googlegroups.com>
> Subject: Re: [Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] [ARC Members Only] Proxy
> Form
> for Tax-exempt Proposal Referendum
>
>
>
> I believe seeking tax-exempt status for ARC is not just appropriate, but
> vital.
>
>
>
> I also believe it is worth taking the time to get the words right in such
> important documents as an organization's foundational documents.
>
>
>
> And, I believe Rick has raised important and valid concerns with the
> current
> wording of the proposed governance documents. I have read through the
> currently proposed governance documentation, and I don't believe we're
> there
> yet.
>
>
>
> My preference is to see Rick's concerns properly addressed prior to putting
> this to a vote. But, if a vote must be taken on the current documentation,
> I
> feel I have no choice but to vote against. I do so with the hopes that
> revisions can be made so that our club's tax-exempt status can be achieved.
>
>
>
> I am happy to volunteer to assist with document revisions.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Ken van Wyk
>
> Armata Scientia
>
>
>
>
>
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