From the By-Laws Committee
Oct2Written by:
10/2/2009 6:49 PM 
For the last couple of years a committee has been working on crafting a new set of by-laws that would better guide the department into the future. A lot of time and effort has gone into the development of these as well as a lot of input from members. As this is the members’ department it is extremely important that member input be a part of the process. During a recent business meeting some questions regarding current language in the proposed by-laws came up and it is prudent that we address these questions for all members. The intent at this last business meeting was to take a final vote on the passage of these new by-laws, but it was decided to delay that until questions were answered and clarification was made on some issues.
Probably the biggest issue surrounded the selection and voting process for the officer team each year. In the past, individuals were nominated for positions and the membership voted on each position individually. While the language in the proposed by-laws may seem to completely change that protocol, it really does not. In development of the new by-laws, an attempt was made to do two things. First and foremost, was to maintain the membership’s ability to have the final say in the officer team, through the voting process. The second item was to try and create more continuity on the officer team from year to year. Officer positions are important for the effective functioning of the department and require considerable commitment in time and energy. It is important for junior officers to get experience and training so that, if so desired, they can move into more senior officer positions in the future. This is not only important for individuals that aspire to that but also important for the future of the department.
With that said the proposed by-laws allows for both to occur. The chief would come to the membership with a slate of potential officer candidates, based on conversations with current officers and members. Even though the slate is put forth to the membership, the membership still has the option to vote on the slate, either as a whole, by division (wildland, fire, EMS) or to elect to have each position (except the chief position) voted on individually. A single member can make the request to have the voting done on individual positions, identical to past voting protocols, or the membership can opt for voting by divisions or for the slate as a whole. Essentially, while the language in the by-laws has changed, the provision for the membership to make the final decision on officers still exists.
We hope this explanation clears up some misconceptions regarding that issue. We encourage all members to engage in the voting process as this is a members’ department. We also encourage anyone with other questions or comments to contact the Chief or Assistant Chief.
We will be voting on the proposed new-bylaws at the next business meeting (December) and would encourage that everyone participate. In the meantime, it has been recommended by the membership present at the last business meeting that the proposed by-laws be submitted to the district’s legal counsel for review.
This is a very important process and the adoption of new by-laws is all about the guiding document and the future of the department.