Earlier this year, the APTA Delaware convened a task force to review and update APTA Delaware bylaws. The following are recommendations, approved by the current Executive Committee, from the task force. In accordance with the existing bylaws, voting members have thirty days prior to a vote to review the bylaws.
Special thanks to the members of the APTA Delaware Bylaws Review Task force: George Edelman, Stacie Larkin, Meredith Perny and Josh Smith.
Amendment 1:
ARTICLE VII. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1: Composition
The officers of the CHAPTER shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Representative to the PTA Caucus and the Chief Delegate. These six officers and all standing committee chairpersons shall constitute the Executive Committee.
The Board of Directors shall be composed of the four (4) Chapter officers specifically the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer and three (3) Directors and (1) Chief Delegate. Each Officer, Director and the Chief Delegate will have only one (1) vote even if one (1) person holds two (2) positions on the Board.
A. The PTA Council representative shall be a non-voting member on the Board of Directors.
Rationale: Amend the name and composition of the what is currently known as the “Executive Committee” to an all-elected, 8-person “Board of Directors”. The current Executive Committee structure does not elect all positions since standing committee chairpersons are appointed and sometimes go unfilled. An all-elected Board of Directors provides members’ the ability to elect their leaders on an annual basis rather than have appointments and ensure all positions are filled.
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Amendment 2:
Section 5: Executive Committee
A. Composition -The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Each shall have one (1) vote in Executive Committee meetings.
Rationale: Referring to the association’s officers as the “Executive Committee” on the Board of Directors separates executive responsibilities from those of the chief delegate and directors.
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Amendment 3:
ARTICLE VIII. COMMITTEES & LIAISONS
Section 3: Ethics Committee Liaison
The Ethics Committee shall be a three-person committee, one person appointed annually by the Executive Committee. The individual with the most seniority in the committee shall serve as chairperson. An ethics liaison shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The committee liaison shall be charged with investigating referring any ethics complaints according to the ASSOCIATION’S stated procedures.
Section 4: Standing Committees
The following Standing Committees shall be appointed by the Executive Committee and shall serve for two years or until their successors have been appointed and have assumed office. The Chairperson and members of each Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.
- Events
- Legislative
- Public Relations
- Membership
- Bylaws
- Payment and Advocacy
Section 5: Special Committees
Special Committees shall be established by the Executive Committee Board of Directors as needed. Chairpersons of the Special Committees will be designated by the Executive Committee Board of Directors.
Rationale: The Ethics Committee has only had one member rather than a committee and APTA Ethics and Judicial Committee has been charged by the APTA Board of Directors to handle ethical/judicial complaints.
Removing standing committees from the bylaws provides the Board of Directors with flexibility to create or dissolve committees as they are needed.
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Amendment 4:
ARTICLE X. ELECTIONS
A. The designated Officers of the Chapter shall be elected on a rotational basis.
The President, Vice President, one (1) Board member and Representative to the PTA Caucus PTA Council, and Secretary shall be elected in even numbered years.
The Chief Delegate, Vice President, and Treasurer, Secretary and two (2) Board members shall be elected in odd numbered years.
Rationale: Elections for positions shall be in alternate years so that officers and directors are balanced.
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Amendment 5:
Reference to PTA Caucus be changed to PTA Council throughout the bylaws.
Rationale: This change is editorial and keeps APTA Delaware’s bylaws in symmetry with APTA.
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