Lonestar Mensa Bylaws Change Process Annual Gathering Bylaws

Lonestar Mensa Bylaws Change Process Annual Gathering Bylaws Workshop Don Drumtra 2008 July 4

Why Do It? • Electronic voting • Any change opens up all parts • An opportunity to try new things

What Did We Do? • Set up a bylaws committee

How Did We Do It? • Asked for volunteer members • Looked for diversity – Heavy hitters – Different skills – Folks who disagree – Registered parliamentarian – Loc. Sec (ex officio)

How Did We Do It? • Empowered members – Decisions by majority consensus – Presence not required to vote – Vote each time on all past work – Only decisions are recorded – Provided personal workbooks – Begin and end on time (one hour)

How Did We Do It? • Agreed on rules and process – Consider and agree on ideas (questions and answers) – Develop draft paragraphs – Discuss and modify draft paragraphs (loop until agreed) – Consider and approve final draft paragraphs (loop until agreed)

How Did We Do It? • Provided visibility to all – Recognized participants up front – Open convenient meetings (with TGIT) – Open Website – Monthly reports in newsletter and to Ex. Comm – Input from members encouraged

Website • Bare bones – Only HTML – No templates, CSS, or graphics • Updated within 48 hours • Self archiving (except drafts and Homepage (agendas)) • Home page archives

End Products • Draft new bylaws – Last resort alternatives if necessary • Old bylaws LILO changes and explanation • Continuing minutes (single session) • Continuing reports

Challenges Faced • • • Proposed Wiki Proposed discussion site Platform for Website Setting the quorum (3) War stories

Questions? http: //lonestar. us. mensa. org/bylaws/ drumtra@aol. com