Board Elections Coming in May

Typically, we would have held Board elections last May but with the changes to the Constitution and Bylaws, the State had requested that elections be moved to even years. Both our President and Vice-President had been term limited (Two-2 year terms) but they graciously agreed to stay in office for one more year.

The Leschi Board consists of 4 officers (President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer) and all four positions are elected every 2 years. Any officer who is not term limited can opt to run again. The Chairs of committees who are appointed by the President but have usually come forward and expressed an interest in serving. Committee chairs have voting privileges.

The Board meets monthly on the Tuesday after the first Wednesday. Our general meetings are held on the first Wednesday. Board meetings are held by Zoom unless we are able to find a meeting place that is free. Changes in meeting date and time must be agreed on by the Board and publicized.

We are printing the duties of the officers as defined in the Constitution/Bylaws in BOLD and suggested additions proposed by the board will be in italics.

ARTICLE VI Officers – Duties

Section 1. President. The President shall: preside over all meetings of the Council and of the Executive Board; appoint committee chairpersons, write President’s Message for the Leschi News the months that it is published; and be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.

Suggestions: The President should work with the board and the community to establish strategic priorities for the council. Priorities have to be set across programming, community engagement and what causes to focus on. The president will also ensure that the council builds and maintains meaningful, sustainable relationships with community leaders, the city and county. Lastly, the president is responsible for running an effective board, which includes facilitating meetings, making committee appointments, and encouraging progress on strategic priorities.

Section 2. Vice-President. The Vice President shall assist the President as needed; perform the duties of the President in the President’s absence; and act as chairperson of the Nominating Committee.

Suggestions: The Vice President supports the president, specifically in efforts of relationship building. The vice president also helps committees be effective and leans in on organizing and driving community meetings.

Section 3. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall execute and maintain records, collect dues, maintain a list of all paid members, receive funds, pay bills, keep records of all transactions, balance all funds, and prepare monthly financial reports for Council meetings. Treasurer shall prepare a proposed budget for Board annually. The treasurer shall retrieve Council mail from the post office.

Suggestions: In addition to the duties stated in the articles, the treasurer is responsible for keeping the organization in good standing with tax and licensing authorities and ensuring it retains its 501c(3) status. The treasurer also oversees the grant process, ensuring that the application and administration of any grant follows the requirements stated in the grant.

Sec. 4. Secretary. The Secretary shall prepare meeting agendas, execute and maintain records and minutes of all general and Executive Board meetings and provide a copy to the newsletter editor, provide all officers with copies of relevant documents, maintain copies of all outgoing correspondence, channel correspondence to appropriate persons, maintain lists of meeting attendance and council members, and maintain all records, reports, and documents of the Council.

No suggestions were submitted for the office of the Secretary.

The President will choose a nominating committee consisting of 2 persons led by the Vice-President by April 15 of even-numbered years. If you are interested in running, please contact the Vice-President. It is also possible to nominate from the floor at the May meeting.

Do not hesitate to contact any Board officer to discuss the position. Contact information is listed on the masthead of the Leschi News.

~Diane Snell