Proposed Bylaws Changes
by Dan Sanders
Hello All… I recently returned from our NHPA Winter meeting at The Villages, near Orlando, FL. We had a very full agenda over these three days with very long discussions on several topics for which we had to make some very tough decisions.
One of the more important items on our agenda was to review, discuss, and decide if the submitted Proposed Bylaws Changes (PBC's) would be advanced for NHPA delegate voting at the up-coming World Tournament in Buffalo, NY. I have received these proposals from our members over the past year or so, and want to thank all members who submitted them. In reading through each of these proposed changes below, please note that under Change to Read: the proposed changes or additions, etc. presented here are underlined and in italic type. This should make it easier for you to see and more fully understand just what the proposed change of wording is, along with the reason(s) for the proposed change, under Rationale. Please note also that a PBC #10 has been included/added here. This PBC was received by the deadline, but was not processed/approved by the Committee before the publication deadline for Newsline Magazine.
PBC # 1 - ARTICLE III: Membership
Currently Reads:
SECTION 8. Any member may be suspended for:
a.Willfully violating any official Playing Rule, Requirement or Bylaw of the NHPA.
b.Fixing games, cheating, or any other conduct unbecoming a member.
c.Placing a bet of monetary value on a contestant, or self, when participating in a competition.
d.Using unsanctioned horseshoes in a tournament.
e.Forfeiting in a tournament for an unapproved reason.
Change to Read:
SECTION 8.
Any member may be suspended for:
a.Willfully violating any official Playing Rule, Requirement or Bylaw of the NHPA.
b.Fixing games, cheating, or any other conduct unbecoming a member.
c.Placing a bet of monetary value on a contestant, or self, when participating in a competition.
d.Using unsanctioned horseshoes in a tournament.
e.Forfeiting in a tournament for an unapproved reason.
f. Un-sportsman-like conduct while participating in or attending a sanctioned event*
g.Violating agreed-to NHPA guidelines when submitting posts to the NHPA forum.
* See RGS Rule 12 and Guideline 6 for additional information.
Rationale: Section 8.
f - Other than 'may be suspended for one year' (See Section 9), there is nothing in writing that Tournament Directors and Charter Officers can use or follow in dealing with members who may exhibit un-sportsman-like behavior during tournaments or league play. This additional information will provide these guidelines. A rough draft of these suggested guidelines can be found as a flyer in your delegate packet, and upon approval of a proposed RGS Book change/addition at next year's Convention, this important information can be officially added to the RGS Guidelines section. In the meantime, this information would be made available to all Charters via Newsline Magazine, Charter Communications, and the NHPA Website.
Rationale: Section 8.
g - Members must be held accountable for what they may include in written communications that can be viewed by other members and/or non-members. Repeated accusations and inflammatory personal remarks, for example, will not be tolerated. Charter Officers and NHPA Officers are asked to monitor these forums for violations of the agreed-to forum guidelines.
PBC # 2 - ARTICLE III: Membership
Currently Reads:
SECTION 9. For any of the reasons above, a member may be suspended for one year.
Change to Read:
SECTION 9. For any of the reasons above, a member may be suspended for up to one year.
Rationale:
Currently, the only written bylaws consequence for a violation of the areas listed in SECTION 8 is a one-year suspension. This slight change of wording will allow Charter Officials many options for dealing with un-sportsman-like behavior situations without having to issue a full, one-year suspension from the NHPA.
PBC # 3 - ARTICLE III: Membership
Currently Reads:
SECTION 10. No member shall be suspended until given a fair hearing before the Executive Council or a Board appointed by same.
Change to Read:
SECTION 10.
No member facing a Charter Suspension or full NHPA Suspension shall be suspended until offered a fair hearing before the NHPA Executive Council or a Board appointed by same.
Rationale:
This proposed change will allow Charter TD's and Charter Officers to 'deal more effectively' with minor rules violations, by issuing warnings and other NHPA suggested/designated reprimands for rules violations and for 'un-sportsman-like conduct' situations, without the requirement for an 'NHPA Executive Council or Board appointed hearing', by the NHPA. The idea here is only that this will allow/require that minor Charter issues be handled at the 'Charter level', as it should be. Again… recommended Charter Suspensions or NHPA (full) Suspensions will require input and assistance/recommendations/approval from the NHPA.
PBC # 4 - ARTICLE V: Officers
Currently Reads:
SECTION 2. Duties of officers
c. The Secretary-Treasurer shall:
1.Be custodian of all funds, property, records and other NHPA-owned assets except those of the game related sales program, which are under the direction of the National Buyer.
2.Keep records of all monies received and disbursed, provide a monthly written statement of same to the Executive Council and to the Horseshoe Pitching Newsline editor, for publication.
3.Pay all bills for routine supplies and all special purchases that have been approved by the Executive Council.
4.Annually, by April 15, submit required books and records of the previous April 1 to March 31 fiscal year to the NHPA auditor, for the year-end report.
Change to Read:
SECTION 2. Duties of officers
c. The Secretary-Treasurer shall:
1.Be custodian of all funds, property, records and other NHPA-owned assets except those of the game related sales program, which are under the direction of the National Buyer.
2.Keep records of all monies received and disbursed, provide a monthly written statement of same to the Executive Council and to the Horseshoe Pitching Newsline editor, for publication.
3.Pay all bills for routine supplies and all special purchases that have been approved by the Executive Council.
4.Annually submit required books and records of the previous fiscal year to the NHPA auditor, for the year-end report.
NOTE: Please see a more detailed NHPA Secretary/Treasurer Job Description on the NHPA Website, or it is available upon request.
Rationale:
For Section 2 –c.
… Our Council has discussed the possibility of changing the current fiscal year dates to coincide with the calendar year. This change should make it much easier for members to understand our annual income and expenditures, and will also make it easier for our Council to improve the way we form and maintain our budget. This proposed change of wording will allow this change to be made in the near future, after further study, rather than having to wait three more years for another proposed Bylaws change.
Rationale for NOTE: Although the current information provided in these Bylaws may give the reader some basic idea of the duties of this position, not enough detailed information is provided here for any member or candidate to fully understand the requirements of this position. This more detailed job description will be published later in Newsline Magazine, on the NHPA Website, by Charter Communications, and will also be made available to any member, upon request. This will help to ensure that future candidates for this position may be more fully qualified. Please be aware that the above NOTE: is a proposed addition to this Bylaw, and not a proposed change to any existing wording.
PBC # 5 - ARTICLE V: Officers
Currently Reads:
SECTION 3.
Time and Expense Reimbursement
Individuals mentioned in the positions below shall receive an annual stipend to defray the expenses of using their home, utilities, and equipment; for serving certain elected and appointed NHPA positions known to require a great deal of personal time. Extraordinary expenses, as outlined in the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs), are exempt.
a.The NHPA Secretary-Treasurer shall receive $15,000 plus 50 cents per adult member as determined by year-end membership reports.
b.The NHPA President shall receive 30% of the Secretary-Treasurer total.
c.Each NHPA Vice-President shall receive 10% of the Secretary-Treasurer total.
d.The NatStats Director shall receive 20% of the Secretary-Treasurer total.
e.The Horseshoe Pitching Newsline editor shall receive 12% of the annual subscription revenue.
f.The NHPA President may authorize Associate Directors to assist the Vice-Presidents with specific tasks related to the functions mentioned in paragraph c., above. These Associate Directors shall receive 2-5% of the Secretary-Treasurer total, the percentage to be approved by the Council and determined by the magnitude of the task.
Change to Read:
SECTION 3. Time and Expense Reimbursement
Individuals mentioned in the positions below shall receive an annual stipend to defray the expenses of using their home, utilities, and equipment; for serving certain elected and appointed NHPA positions known to require a great deal of personal time. Extraordinary expenses, as outlined in the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs), are exempt.
a.The NHPA Secretary-Treasurer shall receive $15,000 plus 50 cents per adult member as determined by year-end membership reports.
b.The NHPA President shall receive 30% of the Secretary-Treasurer total.
c.Each NHPA Vice-President shall receive 10% of the Secretary-Treasurer total.
d.The NatStats Director shall receive 20% of the Secretary-Treasurer total.
e.The Horseshoe Pitching Newsline editor shall receive 10% of the Secretary-Treasurer total.
f.The NHPA President may authorize Associate Directors to assist the Vice-Presidents with specific tasks related to the functions mentioned in paragraph c., above. These Associate Directors shall receive 2-5% of the Secretary-Treasurer total, the percentage to be approved by the Council and determined by the magnitude of the task.
Rationale:
Currently, the Horseshoe Pitching Newsline editor is compensated in the amount of 12% of the annual subscription revenue. Now that Horseshoe Pitching Newsline will be made available to all members, on-line, and at no cost to our members (no paid subscriptions), the current method of compensation will no longer be possible after December 31st of this year. This proposed change to 10% of the Secretary-Treasurer is comparable to what our Vice Presidents are now receiving. In the future, this percentage amount can be adjusted upward or downward every three years, based on the number of hours required for this service.
PBC # 6 - ARTICLE V: Officers
Currently Reads:
SECTION 7.
Candidates for NHPA office must announce their candidacy in writing to be received by the President and the Horseshoe Pitching Newsline Editor no later than February 1st.
Change to Read:
SECTION 7.
Candidates for NHPA office must announce their candidacy in writing to be received by the President and the Horseshoe Pitching Newsline Editor no later than April 1st. Incumbents, however, must announce their candidacy in the same manner, by February 1st.
Rationale:
Currently, the final date for an incumbent to announce that they do not intend to run for another term (February 1st) is the same date that a new candidate(s) must announce their intention to run for that vacated position. Moving the date to April 1st will allow interested candidates additional time to learn about this opportunity, and then officially announce their candidacy for publication in a later issue of Newsline Magazine.
PBC # 7 - ARTICLE V: Officers
Currently Reads:
SECTION 8. Terms of office
a. All officers shall serve a two-year term.
b. The President, the First, Third and Fifth Vice Presidents shall be elected in odd numbered years.
c. The Second and Fourth Vice President and the Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected in even numbered years.
d. Newly-elected officers shall officially take office on January 1st of the year following their election.
Change to Read:
SECTION 8. Terms of office
a. All officers shall serve a two-year term, except the Secretary-Treasurer.
b. The President, (deletion) the Third, and Fifth Vice Presidents shall be elected in odd numbered years.
c. The First, the Second, and the Fourth Vice President (deletion) shall be elected in even numbered years.
d. The Secretary-Treasurer position shall be appointed by the NHPA President, upon a 2/3rds approval of the Executive Council. The length of this appointment shall be four (4) years.
e. Newly-elected officers shall officially take office on January 1st of the year following their election.
Rationale:
The Secretary-Treasurer position is vital to the overall success of the NHPA. In order to find the most qualified person, the NHPA Executive Council shall consider the resumes, experience, and recommendations of all prospective candidates before selecting the most qualified person for this position. Also, it seems logical that the President and 1st Vice President should not be elected during the same year. The proposed change to the voting cycle for 1st VP would require that the current 1st VP, Dan Sanders, finish his current term as a three-year term, and he has agreed to this change.
PBC # 8 - ARTICLE V: Officers
Currently Reads:
SECTION 8. Terms of office
a. All officers shall serve a two-year term.
b. The President, the First, Third and Fifth Vice Presidents shall be elected in odd numbered years.
c. The Second and Fourth Vice President and the Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected in even numbered years.
d. Newly-elected officers shall officially take office on January 1st of the year following their election.
Change to Read:
SECTION 8. Terms of office
a. All officers shall serve a three-year term.
b. The President, (deletion) and Fifth Vice President shall be elected starting in the year 2015.
c. The First and Third Vice Presidents (deletion) shall be elected starting in the year 2016.
d. The Second and Fourth Vice Presidents shall be elected starting in the year 2017. (OR… if PBC # 7 does not pass (and the Sec/Treas position remains an elected position), and this PBC # 8 does pass (for 3-year terms), the d. option below would be used. If neither of these PBC's pass, the current Bylaws will remain, as printed.)
d. The Second Vice President, Fourth Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer shall be elected starting in the year 2017.
e. Newly-elected officers shall officially take office on January 1st of the year following their election.
Rationale:
Currently, a newly-elected officer has to make up their mind about running for a second, two-year term by the end of their first year as an officer. This means that they will be serving the remaining year of their current term, and also be committing to an additional two years, if elected. One year of service is hardly enough time for any person to make this commitment. With 3-year terms, a new officer would have completed two years of service before having to make the decision about running for another term.
Another important reason for this change is that currently, it is possible that four (4) members of the NHPA Council could be re-elected the same year (any odd-numbered year), and it would not be good to have a majority (4) of the NHPA Officers beginning their first term at the same time. This proposal would ensure that no more than three (3) officers could be elected during the same year, and that would be only every 3rd year, assuming the Secretary/Treasurer position does not become an elected position.
Note to delegates: The terms of current incumbent officers would be continued until their position comes up for the next scheduled election.
PBC # 9 - ARTICLE IX: Convention
Currently reads:
SECTION 3.
Delegates are chosen in a manner that the Charter Officers decide. The Charter President must provide to the NHPA President, at least 72 hours prior to the start of the convention, a written and signed list of delegates which also names the delegation Chairman.
Change to read:
SECTION 3.
Delegates are chosen in a manner that the Charter Officers decide. The Charter President must provide to the NHPA President, at least 12 hours prior to the start of the convention, an e-mail or a written and signed list of delegates which also names the delegation Chairman.
Rationale: Because of the need for the NHPA President to be at the World Tournament site at least 7 days prior to the Convention, it is not always possible to retrieve any late mail or phone message that arrives at his/her mailing address during this time period. This change will provide Charter delegate chairpersons more flexibility and time to make sure that their delegate lists are received so that they can officially participate at the WT Convention.
PBC # 10 - Article VII: Charters
Currently reads:
Section 4.
Any application for additional Charters within a State must include a description or map of the proposed area, justified reasons for creating this new Charter, and a list of at least fifty (50) new NHPA members.
Change to read:
Any application for additional Charters within a State must include a description or map of the proposed area, justified reasons for creating this new Charter, and a list of at least fifty (50) new or current NHPA members.
Rationale: If a charter is large geographically, it may make more sense to have two or more charters with existing members. To expect them to come up with “new” members OR to require them to drop out for a year and then return as “new” members is not in the best interests of the NHPA and its membership numbers.
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