Brush Creek members will meet at 2 pm on Sunday, September 25 at the Playhouse to elect officers for 2017 and for the Board to announce the 2017 performance calendar. The meeting also will include a review of the season to date and a preview of the remaining shows, as well as a report on fundraising and other activities. In addition, the Board is proposing several amendments to the Bylaws for consideration by the full membership:
The Board will consider the following amendments immediately after the reading of the minutes and the review of the Treasurer’s Report:
Proposed Amendment 1 would enable participants in shows and other volunteers to become voting members of the theater without paid memberships. The text of the proposed amendment follows:
In Article II, Section 2, Delete existing paragraph on “Serving Members” and replace with new section on “Participating Members” (at the beginning of section) that reads as follows:
Participating members: Any person who is engaged as cast or staff of a current production or otherwise completes at least 5 hours of volunteer service as certified by a member of the Brush Creek Board shall be enrolled as a Participating Member for the duration of that calendar year.
In Article II, Section 2 the Description of “Founding Members” is revised to read as follows:
Founding member: A founding membership is available to anyone who is otherwise a member (other than a serving member) and who also was part of the original foundation of the theater.
The final sentence of Article II, Section 2 is amended as follows:
With the exception of serving members, eEach membership entitles the member to a single vote at all general membership meetings, provided that the member is aged 13 years or older and provided that the membership has been in good standing for at least 30 days prior to the meeting in question.
Proposed Amendment 2 (which presumes passage of Amendment 1 or something similar) would allow participation of those who become members as a result of the Bylaws change to immediately participate in the September meeting as voting members (rather than waiting the 30 days otherwise indicated by the existing Bylaws). The text of the proposed amendment follows:
Insert at the end of the final paragraph of Article II, Section 2, the following sentence:
Exception: Participating members as defined above whose membership status is verified during the 2016 membership meeting will be able to vote immediately.
Proposed Amendment 3 (which presumes passage of Amendment 1 or something similar) would eliminate connection between specific contribution levels and membership (any designated sponsorship levels would presumably be set by the Board and therefore no longer in the Bylaws)); also has the effect of ending all memberships at the end of the calendar year in which they begin. The text of the proposed amendment follows:
In Article II, Section 2, Delete opening sentence and delete paragraphs referencing Contributing, Sponsoring, Family, Supporting, and Patron of the Arts members.
Revise new paragraph describing Participating Members to read as follows:
Participating members: Any person who donates at least $15 to Brush Creek Players, who is engaged as cast or staff of a current production, or who otherwise completes at least 5 hours of volunteer service as certified by a member of the Brush Creek Board shall be enrolled as a Participating Member through that calendar year and the following year.
Move paragraph describing Founding Members to the end of the section.
With these revisions (and including Amendment 2), the revised Article II, Section 2 would now read in its entirety:
Section 2: Any person who donates at least $15 to Brush Creek Players, who is engaged as cast or staff of a current production, or who otherwise completes at least 5 hours of volunteer service as certified by a member of the Brush Creek Board shall be enrolled as a Participating Member through that calendar year and the following year.
Lifetime member: A lifetime membership is available to anyone who has maintained an active membership for at least 15 consecutive years.
Each membership entitles the member to a single vote at all general membership meetings, provided that the member is aged 13 years or older and provided that the membership has been in good standing for at least 30 days prior to the meeting in question. Exception: Participating members as defined above whose membership status is verified during the 2016 membership meeting will be able to vote immediately.
Founding member: A founding membership is available to anyone who is otherwise a member and who also was part of the original foundation of the theater.
Proposed Amendment 4 would clarify that eligibility for participation as an officer is based on age when period of service begins, rather than age at election. The text of the proposed amendment follows:
Article IV, Section 4 is revised to read as follows:
Section 4: Elections: Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting. Any member in good standing who is will be 18 years of age or older at the beginning of the term of office is eligible to be elected as an officer.
Proposed Amendment 5 effect would update Secretary duties to eliminate obsolete reference to addresses and to provide specifics regarding membership lists. The text of the proposed amendment follows:
The 3rd paragraph under Article V, Section 3 is revised to read as follows:
The Secretary shall maintain an active record of all members and their addresses contact information and shall acknowledge all memberships by issuing receipts and/or membership cards to all such members. The Secretary shall provide a list of all active members to the annual membership meeting and to the Board at least every January.
