[W2CRA] Fw: Two of Two: [yccc] [SCCC] Revised ARRL Articles and Bylaws and Motions

Sun Dec 24 17:44:59 EST 2017

This is the second in a series.

This email to my fellow FRCers covers the proposed changes to the ARRL Articles and Bylaws which is a different initiative  than the N2YBB motions.

It is somewhat disturbing we have not seen any of this information in the public domain ... e.g. posted by ARRL sources.  These are major changes which impact your Membership rights and how the organization is governed.

Happy Holidays!

W2GD

________________________________
From: John Crovelli <w2gd at hotmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 24, 2017 1:31 PM
To: gofrc at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [yccc] [SCCC] Revised ARRL Articles and Bylaws and Motions

Fellow FRCers:

There are events unfolding at the ARRL that deserve your attention and action.  When your holiday festivities quiet down please take the time to review these materials.

Thank You and Merry Christmas.  W2GD

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Major revisions to the ARRL Articles of Association and Bylaws will be considered at the ARRL Annual Meeting in Newington on January 19 and 20, 2018.  This is IN ADDITION TO the motions proposed by N2YBB that have been reported previously.

Below are my personal comments based upon a cursory review of the proposed changes to the ARRL governing documents.  There are many changes contained in the proposal to be considered next month at the ARRL Annual Meeting.  Some dilute membership privileges, others change the basic governing structure of the ARRL which has stood the test of time for nearly 100 years.

Follow the link provided by WA7BNM to view the full text of the change document.

http://www.b4h.net/ARRL_2018_Jan_Redline_BOD.pdf

There many revisions.  I want to direct your attention to a few of them that quickly caught my eye:

Articles of Association -

Article 11 - gives the ARRL BoD the NEW right to expell a member.

Article 12 - gives the ARRL BoD the NEW right to expell a Director, Vice Director Officiers, etc.

Bylaws -

Bylaw 2 - For the first time the ARRL BoD will have the ability to remove a League member.  Keep in mind if you are not a League member you cannot continue to serve as a Director.

Bylaw 9 - removes the right of a licensed spouse of an SK Life Member to continue the life membership. To me this seems to be breaking of a contract.

Bylaw 41 - expansion of duties of Ethics and Elections Committee.

Bylaw 47(a) NEW - gives the BoD the ability to remove a Director, Vice-Director or Officer.  Note: This appears to be in conflict with CT law which essentially says a Director may only be removed by vote of his Division's members.  See

https://law.justia.com/codes/connecticut/2012/title-33/chapter-602/section-33-1088/ item (b)

Bylaw 47(b) NEW - gives the BoD the ability to impose reprimands and censure without prior notice and the ability of the accused to be heard on the charges.

Bylaw 48  NEW - imposes binding arbitration in resolution of disputes.

Appendix B - Code of Conduct - completely replaces prior version without significant change - it is in my opinion a terrible policy statement that should be completely re-written.

There are just 28 days remaining before the ARRL Board Meeting.  In my opinion as an ARRL Life Member (and not FRC President), something must be done quickly to stop the ARRL Board from adopting these changes.

After reading the document and considering the impact these changes may have upon you as a League member and how the ARRL will be governed going forward, I urge you to communicate your thoughts on the proposed changes with your Division Director, all other ARRL Division Directors, the ARRL Officers, and the ARRL CEO.  Note:  The motions of N2YBB that were previously reported are a separate set of issues and are not specifically contained within this revision of the governing documents.  You may wish to express your thoughts on the N2YBB motions as well.

Do not assume your comments will be distributed to all parties automatically.

Also, please share what you think and do with your fellow FRC members.

Regards,

John Crovelli W2GD

ARRL Life Member

**********************************************

From: Bruce Horn <bhorn at hornucopia.com<mailto:bhorn at hornucopia.com>>
Date: Sun, Dec 24, 2017 at 6:20 AM
Subject: Re: [SCCC] Web Link to Revised ARRL Articles and Bylaws and Motion
To: Marty Woll <n6vi at socal.rr.com<mailto:n6vi at socal.rr.com>>
Cc: SCCC Reflector <sccc at contesting.com<mailto:sccc at contesting.com>>

Hi,

Thanks Marty for making this available. I've posted a PDF of the document at the following link:

http://www.b4h.net/ARRL_2018_Jan_Redline_BOD.pdf

73 de Bruce, WA7BNM

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-----Original Message-----
From: w6ph via Groups.Io <w6ph=aol.com at groups.io>
To: yccc <yccc at groups.io>
Cc: yccc <yccc at groups.io>
Sent: Sun, Dec 24, 2017 8:50 am
Subject: [yccc] [SCCC] Revised ARRL Articles and Bylaws and Motion

Another bad motion for the January BoD meeting. When will it stop?

73, Kurt W6PH

-----Original Message-----
From: Marty Woll <n6vi at socal.rr.com<mailto:n6vi at socal.rr.com>>
To: sccc <sccc at contesting.com<mailto:sccc at contesting.com>>
Sent: Sat, Dec 23, 2017 10:37 pm
Subject: [SCCC] Revised ARRL Articles and Bylaws and Motion

To my fellow SCCC members,.

A set of proposed Articles and Bylaws changes is being proposed by Director Norris (Delta Division), no doubt with substantial drafting by one or more attorneys on the “front row”. If this reflector supports attachments, then the redline version is attached. If not, you can either rely on the summary below or ask me for the Word document (but not all at once, please!)

Note in particular the following proposals:

A change to Bylaw 2 would allow the Board to revoke a membership. I wonder how this would sit with Life Members, who paid good and valuable consideration for their life memberships – isn’t that called a contract? I further wonder who among the general membership they might decide to go after?

Bylaw 11 would be changed to as a consequence of removal under the changed Bylaw 46.

Bylaw 41 would have an added provision that the Ethics & Elections Committee apply the Policy on Board Governance and Conduct.

Bylaw 47(a) would allow the Board to terminate the term of an officer, Director or Vice Director by terminating their ARRL membership (therefore rendering them ineligible to serve). This change appears to me to be inconsistent with Section 33-1088 of Connecticut State Law, which provides that, if a director is elected by a subset of the voting body (members, in the League’s case), only the members of that subset can remove him or her. (Of course, I’m not an attorney; it’s just that I can read and understand English.)

Bylaw 47(b) would allow a censure with no advance notice and no opportunity for the targeted individual to be heard.

Bylaw 48 would require the use of binding arbitration and prohibit legal action through the courts.

Less onerous but still likely to be seen negatively by members is the change proposed to Bylaw 9 to eliminate the transferability of a Silent Key’s Life Membership to a surviving spouse who is licensed and a current ARRL member.

If this is not the direction members want ARRL to go, then they had better let their respective directors know ASAP; the Board discussion voting takes place in just four weeks.

Those of you in the Southwestern Division probably know where our Director stands on these changes, but be sure your friends in other Divisions know about this and speak up.

73, Marty N6VI

_______________________________________________
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