This month's issue of TheOak Leaflet is now online! Click on the image below to read Jan's President's Column, make note of upcoming activities and events, and more.
As always, you may visit our newsletter archive to view or download past issues.
I just wanted to point out some inaccuracies and/or omissions in your March Oak Leaf regarding the February ONA Report.
While the vote of 35 to 24 in favor of not allowing us to vote for the proposed updated bylaws is accurate, what is not mentioned is that this was the second vote on that matter during the same meeting. The first proposal by Karen Gambrell to block the vote was shot down and we were all set to vote on the proposed bylaws which could have been voted for or against, either way, by all who were interested in attending the meeting. They weren’t about to stand for that so an anti-vote colleague then proposed that we postpone the vote until “sometime” after the April general meeting which is the same meeting wherein we will elect officers and street reps. That is the vote that passed as mentioned in the newsletter. They failed to block the first vote so they threw out another motion to block your vote and were successful.
It is accurate that the bylaws were gone over by Jonathan Zimmerer after the vote was blocked, but it is not mentioned that this was the second time that the bylaws committee met with and went over, in great detail, the proposed bylaws. That happened at the October ONA meeting. The bylaws committee also met with ONA members in September to gather input about what people liked about the current bylaws and what they would like to see changed.
A motion was then brought to the floor by Libby Willis to elevate four pre-selected members to the nominating committee. That vote also passed even though it is against our bylaws for anyone from the floor to nominate any committee members. That duty is assigned to the ONA president, but I am finding that bylaws are only followed so long as they fit certain agendas.
Another motion, brought by Libby Willis, was made to have an oversight committee placed over the bylaws committee. That motion was defeated.
Last, the executive board will not be appointing the remainder of the nomination committee as mentioned in the Oak Leaf, the president has already done that as per our bylaws.
I wish the nominating committee well. They have a tough gig ahead of them indeed.
I just wanted to point out some inaccuracies and/or omissions in your March Oak Leaf regarding the February ONA Report.
ReplyDeleteWhile the vote of 35 to 24 in favor of not allowing us to vote for the proposed updated bylaws is accurate, what is not mentioned is that this was the second vote on that matter during the same meeting. The first proposal by Karen Gambrell to block the vote was shot down and we were all set to vote on the proposed bylaws which could have been voted for or against, either way, by all who were interested in attending the meeting. They weren’t about to stand for that so an anti-vote colleague then proposed that we postpone the vote until “sometime” after the April general meeting which is the same meeting wherein we will elect officers and street reps. That is the vote that passed as mentioned in the newsletter. They failed to block the first vote so they threw out another motion to block your vote and were successful.
It is accurate that the bylaws were gone over by Jonathan Zimmerer after the vote was blocked, but it is not mentioned that this was the second time that the bylaws committee met with and went over, in great detail, the proposed bylaws. That happened at the October ONA meeting. The bylaws committee also met with ONA members in September to gather input about what people liked about the current bylaws and what they would like to see changed.
A motion was then brought to the floor by Libby Willis to elevate four pre-selected members to the nominating committee. That vote also passed even though it is against our bylaws for anyone from the floor to nominate any committee members. That duty is assigned to the ONA president, but I am finding that bylaws are only followed so long as they fit certain agendas.
Another motion, brought by Libby Willis, was made to have an oversight committee placed over the bylaws committee. That motion was defeated.
Last, the executive board will not be appointing the remainder of the nomination committee as mentioned in the Oak Leaf, the president has already done that as per our bylaws.
I wish the nominating committee well. They have a tough gig ahead of them indeed.