3/10/24* Leadership Team Meeting Minutes
*Approved: 4/14/2024
Key action items bolded and underlined.
Meeting convened: 6: 30 pm
General: Review minutes of 1/14/24 meeting. Minutes approved.
Attendance: Janet Mckeehan-Medina (Co-Chair); Katherine Lazarus (Co-Chair);) Monte Mann (Treasurer); Millie Eidson (Secretary); Julie Hay (Board Member); Jane Nevins (Board Member); Jon Fenner (Comms); Jim Wyman (workshop cohost); Suzanne Guess (MSR Editor-in-Chief); Skip Keith (member)
Re-establish a 7-seat board?
- Katie and Millie stepping down at annual meeting
- Janet can continue as sole chair, but may wish to have 7 board members
- We previously voted for an 8-seat board; with Dick’s resignation, we’re back to 7
- Go back to 7 longer-term? Motion passed.
- Executive director is a board member, according to by-laws; if approved at annual meeting, would be considered as co-chair board position
- Rules require a new Secretary; having a co-chair is optional
Establish Registered Agent
- Monte was initially proposed when became Treasurer but required to have VT address and Monte is not in VT, so need someone in VT
- Jane will take over this role from Elaine: job is to receive communications from VT associated with registering of BWW; Motion passed.
Establish Date for Annual Meeting
- 8 weeks from notification: April 28, 6:30 PM
Strategic Plan update
- Propose to have action groups carve out tactical elements as an annual operating plan
- Strategic plan: 3-5 year vision, not dramatically altered year-to-year
- Four items required further exploration, ranked in order of support below
- #2, Assessing need for independent advisory board: 87.5%
- #1, Doing more work on BWW vision in terms of size, workshops: 87.5%
- #3, Explore compensation for Executive Director or for master class hosts: 100%
- #4, Are we attracting a diverse slate of writers, 87.5%
- Send survey access to those in leadership roles who didn’t get it
Bylaws for 2024
- Reviewed for clarifications and to align with procedures in place, particularly in relation to Board vs. LT functions
- Drafts are available as new clean copies and showing changes
- Reviewed proposal as share screen
- Made some changes to clarify definition of Active Member
- #4: membership: definitions moved to that section; clarifying where the Leadership Team functions rather than the Board; clarified that all items at Annual Meeting are included in agenda sent one month in advance;
- #5.1: nominations from those who are Active Members; clarify announcement 8 weeks before Annual meeting and nominations received within 2 weeks, to be listed in announcement a month before meeting
- #5.6 (new number): clarified interim appointments
- #5.1 (new number): discussed meaning of item about LT can’t outvote or overrule Board decisions; clause is intended to protect against a coup—need those voted into office to have responsibility; Table and continue the discussion
- #5.2: clarified that managing director manages daily activities, not the Board
- #5.1: Does Board and LT have to vote major fundraising activities, or is that the responsibility of the Fundraising team? The LT receives the plans and proposals.
- Clarified that officer role relates to board membership, and resigning one means resigning both
- Board members, staggered, serve two 2-year terms; if interim, time starts when approved at annual meeting
- Define Ethics Committee; others are not mentioned in bylaws (only defined if referenced in bylaws)
- Board members can be voted for possible removal by 2/3 of Board membership (not including person in question); timeline includes 24 hours’ notice; if removed, ineligible for future election
- Other sections need to wait until decision about Board vs. LT roles above.
- Permission for hosting rests with Programs Committee
- Do bylaws specify approval of deposits and withdrawals? Finance team oversees this. Anyone can make deposits. Debit card used by Treasurer. Outside CPA bookkeeper reviews accounts and closes out every month, and provides information for report for LT that’s presented by Treasurer at annual meeting. Treasurer provides quarterly update to LT.
MSR Update: postponed and will be sent by email
- Publishes online bimonthly
