Board meeting minutes and financial reports are available to members upon written request.
Send a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your request to Secretary, The Saints, 2936 N. Southport, Suite 203, Chicago, IL 60657-4120.
This is the language that appears every month on page 2 of the Spotlight, the Saints newsletter for members. I know that there have been recent requests for minutes, but as of this time, we don't know of anyone who has received them. Perhaps the Board will become more responsive.
When I was on the Board, I suggested that they routinely post minutes on the website for "members only." But frankly, board members had difficulty obtaining timely copies of the minutes, and the minutes often were incomplete and inaccurate. In fact, this is the first board that I have ever been on where the minutes were not approved unanimously after a call for additions and corrections. It is common to make minor corrections, but these minutes needed substantial changes. Perhaps that is because the secretary took very limited notes, and after repeated requests, only recently started to record the meetings.
Taking minutes is not an easy job, and it might be appropriate to have an official recorder at board meetings whose sole purpose is to record the board's actions. Minutes are very important though, and should provide a record of all the decisions that your board makes, and how each board member has voted. Minutes can be useful to a new board member who wants to get caught up on past board actions, interesting and informative to members, and also serve as a helpful tool when deciding who to vote for in an election. In addition, it serves as the legal record of the board's actions.
I would like to encourage readers to comment on their thoughts about minutes. As members of other organizations, how did you find out about your Board's activities, what motions were made, and how your board members voted? What are your thoughts about minutes for this organization?
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The days of the patriarchy really are numbered. But only if eligible voters actually vote.
ReplyDeleteAll you curious members out there -
ReplyDeleteThe Illinois Nort for Profit Act on records:
"(805 ILCS 105/107.75) (from Ch. 32, par. 107.75)
Sec. 107.75. Books and records.
(a) Each corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of account and shall also keep minutes of the proceedings of its members, board of directors and committees having any of the authority of the board of directors; and shall keep at its registered office or principal office a record giving the names and addresses of its members entitled to vote. All books and records of a corporation may be inspected by any member entitled to vote, or that member's agent or attorney, for any proper purpose at any reasonable time."
So just keep asking for those records...
Are you, "anonymous", referring to the elections for the Board when you say their days are numbered? That's such a long way off. There need to be accurate and timely minutes made available to members now.
ReplyDeleteA new director was appointed on 8/2/09 and it still hasn't been announced to the membership.
It might be dangerous to the organization to wait until next Spring for change. Look at all the terrible things that have already happened.
I think members need to call for the Board Officers' resignation.
I think the 3 year banishment is a bit draconian.
ReplyDelete