EXPLANATION OF PROPOSED BYLAWS AMENDMENTS
Please review the
proposed amendments to the bylaws that the congregation will consider at the Annual Meeting
after worship on Sunday, May 22, 2016. Plan to attend one of the discussion sessions to clarify any questions prior to the Annual Meeting. The Bylaws Discussions are scheduled at UUFD on Sunday, May 1 at 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. and on Sunday, May 15 at 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.
STYLE ELEMENTS OF PROPOSED BYLAWS AMENDMENTS DOCUMENT
Existing bylaws wording is printed in black type. Wording proposed for deletion is struck though with a black line. New wording appears in red type. Comments along the sidebar call attention to changes with a brief explanation.
FORMAT AND ORANIZATION CHANGES
Two format changes are proposed. First, the word "section" will be added to each numbered paragraph in each article. This will make it easier to reference a particular location within the bylaws. Second, adding titles to each numbered section will facilitate locating information within the bylaws document.
Much of the struck-through wording has been reorganized or rephrased for brevity without changing meaning.
OTHER CHANGES TO NOTE:
DECREASING AGE FOR MEMBERSHIP - See ARTICLE V, Section 1.
Decreasing the eligible age for membership from 18 to 16 years will permit younger people to formally join our beloved community. There is at least one young person in our congregation who has demonstrated dedication to our faith through service and conference participation far beyond most of our adult members, and yet she is prohibited from membership due to the current age limitation. Decreasing the eligibility age will open membership to such dedicated young people.
PROXY VOTING ELIMINATED - SEE ARTICLE VI, 7. and ARTICLE VII, 7.
Proxy voting will be eliminated for board meetings and congregational meetings. Congregational best practices warn against proxy voting. With proxy voting, some members vote without having heard the discussion - thus depriving others of their right to influence the group's decisions. Informed voting is crucial to democracy embraced in our Unitarian Universalist Fifth Principle.
WHO MAY REPRESENT UUFD IN THE COMMUNITY - See ARTICLE XVI, Section 2. This removes the requirement of a congregational vote before anyone can speak on behalf of the fellowship and replaces it with a method in which our Unitarian Universalist principals can be represented within the larger community.
ITEMS FOR POLICIES
Bylaws are characterized by brevity, covering only the "bare bones" of structural organization. The following items in the current bylaws will be addressed within policies.: ARITCLE VII, Section 3; ARTICLE VII, 11. ; ARTICLE IX, Section 2; and ARTICLE XI - Service Contracts.
