Attempt by our Committee to change the Club rules without notifying the members

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Daydream believer said:
In our club, to become a flag officer one has to serve a few years on the committee. Too often I have been in clubs where somebody takes on a job & disappears soon after .
it may well be that the committee were possibly aware of some failing in the " volunteer" that would suggest something similar or make them unsuitable.
normally these " volunteers" need a proposer & seconder but if there was none then that suggests that it was not a deffinate proposal, just an off the cuff comment without substence.

Typically someone ( often a newish member)becomes quite vocal but when placed in such a position they do not meet expectation. I recall one such person who was all up for change. He was voted on the committee, missed lots of meetings, when he was there sat fiddling with his phone, rarely added to debate & when given a job to do performed it so poorly that a major event, normally sold out, was poorly attended

he then resigned from the club full of criticism of it & committee claiming he had been shouted down etc etc which i am told was totally untrue

I have seen this in non yachting clubs & i am certain it happens elswhere. So whilst committees sometimes seem to resist these people perhaps they actually have a point

But that does not mean to say it has happened here
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That as may be - but it's not usually difficult to circumnavigate the rules - it's quite normal for the vice_c to move up to the role of commodore once the later has to stand down - the outgoing commodore then either buggers off for a year or so or could (if within the rules) take a lower office.

We don't know the reason for the commodore being re-elected despite being required to standdown - but it doesn't sound normal
 
fireball said:
We don't know the reason for the commodore being re-elected despite being required to standdown - but it doesn't sound normal
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There is no reason. At least one other had offered to take on the role of Commodore. I have spoken to some members who were present at that AGM and apparently there was simply no mention of the fact that his three years were up or that anyone else had offered to stand. No vote, no mention of reason just completely ignored the rules and carried on regardless.
 
NickC said:
There is no reason. At least one other had offered to take on the role of Commodore. I have spoken to some members who were present at that AGM and apparently there was simply no mention of the fact that his three years were up or that anyone else had offered to stand. No vote, no mention of reason just completely ignored the rules and carried on regardless.
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The agenda for the AGM should surely have included the election of committee members to fill those positions becoming vacant.

There should have been a proposer and a seconder for each person seeking election to those positions. If two or more eligible members were proposed and seconded for the same post then a vote should have followed. If only one then they would be considered elected unopposed and no vote would have been necessary.
If there were no eligible members proposed then the position should have remained vacant.

It seems from what you say that there were no proposals for the position of commodore. Because the retiring commodore was ineligible for re-election the post must be considered vacant.

But why were there no proposals ? Apathy? Fear of being bullied ?


Its not a club AFAICS and whatever it is it's run along the lines of a school kid's gang, making up the rules as they go. .......... Walk away
 
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NickC
What are the rules for new members to join? You should call for volunteers from your supporters here to join and then they can attend the next AGM and stir things up a bit. From what you say, the stables need cleaning, so to speak.
 
Resolution said:
NickC
What are the rules for new members to join? You should call for volunteers from your supporters here to join and then they can attend the next AGM and stir things up a bit. From what you say, the stables need cleaning, so to speak.
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That would mean putting money where there mouths are & i am not sure many forumites would be that committed

So much so I suspect you would be better off asking for donations to support the seahorse trust !!!
 
Resolution said:
NickC
What are the rules for new members to join? You should call for volunteers from your supporters here to join and then they can attend the next AGM and stir things up a bit. From what you say, the stables need cleaning, so to speak.
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Well done for volunteering to lead the ** Sailing Club rescue task force.Interested forumites can contact you by PM

Unfortunately new members have to be proposed and seconded by committee members. Maybe there are a couple who would be prepared to propose and second a new batch of members. Nick C can no doubt organise that but I suspect someone will smell a rat.

Anyhow the membership application form is available on the website. Annual membership is £41.There does not appear to be a joining fee.
 
VicS said:
Unfortunately new members have to be proposed and seconded by committee members. Maybe there are a couple who would be prepared to propose and second a new batch of members. Nick C can no doubt organise that but I suspect someone will smell a rat.
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Get in touch with Unite - sorted in a jiffy:eek:
 
NickC said:
There is no reason. At least one other had offered to take on the role of Commodore. I have spoken to some members who were present at that AGM and apparently there was simply no mention of the fact that his three years were up or that anyone else had offered to stand. No vote, no mention of reason just completely ignored the rules and carried on regardless.
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And so these members you spoke to who are keen enough to turn out for the AGM hadn't got the backbone to stop the meeting and tell the committee they were in breech of the constitution and/or rules?
 
Floyd Raser said:
And so these members you spoke to who are keen enough to turn out for the AGM hadn't got the backbone to stop the meeting and tell the committee they were in breech of the constitution and/or rules?
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Nikita Khrushchev is said to have been speaking at a public meeting shortly after denouncing Stalin when someone from the back of the hall shouted "Why didn't you stop him when he was in power?" Khrushchev stood up, glared in the direction from which the words had come and shouted "Who said that?" There was silence. Khrushchev smiled. "That's why", he said.
 
sailorman said:
All RYA affiliated clubs have to conform to RYA approved club constitutional wording
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But it seems that the RYA are prepared to do nothing when the club constitution is violated.

They ought to terminate the affiliation of clubs who do not conform
 
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JumbleDuck said:
Nikita Khrushchev is said to have been speaking at a public meeting shortly after denouncing Stalin when someone from the back of the hall shouted "Why didn't you stop him when he was in power?" Khrushchev stood up, glared in the direction from which the words had come and shouted "Who said that?" There was silence. Khrushchev smiled. "That's why", he said.
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Ok I confess: That was me. In my defence I was choking on a boiled sweet at the time. Were you there Comdrade Jumble?
 
NickC said:
Would you really! Even if they were completely ignoring the Club Constitution and making-up the rules as they go along to suit their own agenda. Even completely ignoring all the requirements of the RYA document Expulsion of Members.

This has nothing to do with give & take, it is simply a consortium of Committee members abusing their position for purposes of Personal Vendetta.
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RYA documents are not statute - no one has to takle any notice of them if they donbt want to do.

Anyway, having now been expelled in a way that you dont accept, the obvious question is what are you going to do about it? If your interpretation of the rules is correct then you clearly have a case and a letter from a solicitor to the club is likely to prevail. Are you prepared to fight?
 
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Latest update:
Some ‘Information for Members’ leaflets were left at the club the informing the members of the situation, along with a ‘Request for EGM’ for members to sign. We assume they didn’t like this much because within the hour these had all been torn-up and thrown in the bin by the Committee.
 
NickC said:
Latest update:
Some ‘Information for Members’ leaflets were left at the club the informing the members of the situation, along with a ‘Request for EGM’ for members to sign. We assume they didn’t like this much because within the hour these had all been torn-up and thrown in the bin by the Committee.
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Give it up and get on with your life. Move on.
 
NickC said:
Latest update:
Some ‘Information for Members’ leaflets were left at the club the informing the members of the situation, along with a ‘Request for EGM’ for members to sign. We assume they didn’t like this much because within the hour these had all been torn-up and thrown in the bin by the Committee.
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Sometimes you may need to be more "hands on" than leaving leaflets. It may take volunteers speaking 1-1 with other members and explaining the situation before people "get it" . if you have letters drafted that other members can then fill in and return to you / the volunteers to collate before submitting en masse you may achieve critical mass and get the EGM. If not though then you will need to ensure that you have undertaken a good information sharing campaign before the AGM so that any motions raised get the members voting the right way.
 
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