2022 PTO Bylaws Amendment Proposal Vote

2022 Bylaw Amendment Proposal

We are proposing a bylaw revision to think about board labor. PTO is an all-volunteer organization, and all programming and events, including conferences, online gatherings, Zoom calls, and more are organized and materialized through unpaid board labor supported by amazing members and other volunteers. Currently we can have a board of 8-15 members total, with the positions of treasurer and journal editor appointed by the elected board. This proposed revision would rework board membership a little bit to allow us to have 8-15 elected board members and up to 5 appointed board members who are charged with specific tasks, such as communications director, journal editor, and treasurer. As the bylaws currently read, we can only have 8-15 board members total, whether elected or appointed.

This will allow us to keep certain skills on the board without having to subject people with those skill sets to a potential unexpected removal by not being re-elected. This will also allow people with those skills to focus on those tasks and not also have to do a lot of heavy lifting for the board in other areas while ensuring we have up to 15 elected board members, in the spirit of what is currently in the bylaws.

Below you will find the actual wording of the amendment proposal. Any text in black is the currently in the bylaws already. Any text in red is the proposed language changes. Once you have read the proposed changes, you may vote by clicking this link. Please remember that only PTO members can vote on bylaw changes. If you’d like to renew/become a member, please click here.

If you have any questions, please contact info@ptoweb.org

ARTICLE IV
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. General Powers
The affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by its Board of Directors. Directors need not be residents of the State of Nebraska but shall be members of the Corporation.

Section 2. Number, Tenure and Qualifications
The number of Directors shall not be less than eight (8) nor more than fifteen (15) elected Directors and five (5) appointed Director positions. Each Director shall hold office for a term of two (2) years or until her or his successors shall have been elected, qualified, or appointed. The term for newly elected board members begins September 1 of each calendar year.

Section 3. Board Composition and Nomination

3. Appointed Board members shall be seated by consensus of all other Board members by August 31 of each calendar year. Should consensus not be possible, appointed Board members may be seated by Board vote. Appointed positions must hold specific roles, such as Communications Director or Journal Editor, and may not be appointed Directors at Large. Should a specific position be held at any time by two or more people in a co-director role, those people will share the one appointed Director position, including for matters such as consensus or voting. The existence of an Appointed Board member position shall be at the discretion of the Board unless required by law or other bylaw. Appointed Board members shall be eligible to be voted into officer positions once they meet board tenure requirements.

Section 8. Manner of Acting
1. The act of a majority of the Directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors, unless the act of a greater number is required by law or these bylaws.

2. Board Directors shall work through consensus unless other bylaws or law require otherwise. For purposes of voting or consensus, no distinction shall be made between elected and appointed Board members.

Once you have read the proposed changes, you may vote by clicking this link.