Minutes of Highpointers Board of Directors Meeting on September 3, 2005


The following minutes for the September 3, 2005, Highpointers Board of Directors meeting were submitted by Secretary Tim Webb. They are unofficial.

MINUTES OF THE HIGHPOINTERS CLUB
BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANNUAL MEETING –2005
PURITY SPRINGS RESORT, EAST MADISON, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Chairman, Roger Rowlett, called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 3, 2005. Board members present, were as follows:

1. Ken Ackerman 9. Craig Noland
2. Kevin Baker 10. Jack Parsell
3. Chuck Bickes 11. Roger Rowlett
4. Dave Covill 12. Jim Sutton
5. Nikki Hemphill 13. Jean Trousdale
6. Don Holmes 14. Tim Webb
7. Fred Lobdell 15. Diane Winger
8. John Mitchler

Other members attending:

Stony Burke, Robert Hyman

Old Business:

Approval of the minutes of the Highpointers E-Agenda Session (May 30,2005 – September 3, 2005). Don Holmes made a Motion to accept the minutes, as presented, and Fred Lobdell seconded. All members voted in favor.

Discussion of Honorary Members. John Mitchler wanted to make sure that the owners of all 50 highpoints are represented. John submitted a list of proposed honorary members prepared by he and Dave for evaluation by the Board. Craig Noland presented a list of current honorary members that he is sending a newsletter to. There was a discussion by several of the Board Members about reviewing the lists and approving at a later date via email. Don Holmes made a motion to accept the list, pending review and approval of the liaison chair. Jean Trousdale seconded. All members voted in favor.

Discussion of changing wording for requirements of visiting the highpoint of Rhode Island. Don Holmes made a motion to no longer accept visiting the sign by the road as qualifying for attaining the highpoint of Rhode Island, effective 9-04-05, due to new owners allowing access to the true highpoint. Jack Parsell seconded. All members voted in favor.

New Business:

Discussion on Highpointers Board oversight of conventions. Fred Lobdell suggested setting guidelines for convention organizers. There was much discussion from several board members regarding the subject. Most felt that a liaison was needed between the Board of Directors and the convention organizers so as to keep the Board posted of proposed convention pricing and itinerary. This would keep the Board abreast of the convention committee’s plans and the convention committee would only be dealing with one person rather than 15 board members. Don Holmes, as President of the Highpointers Club, appointed Nikki Hemphill as “Convention Committee Liaison” to the Board of Directors.

Discussion of permitting booths was mentioned again. Discussion was held on the subject and the consensus was for the Convention Committee Liaison to address the Board with any unusual booth requests. Don Holmes made a motion to abolish approving booths on a case by case basis. Tim Webb seconded. All members voted in favor.

Don Holmes made a motion to give a Certificate of Appreciation to Debbie & Jeff Mosley (new owners of Rhode Island access easement) at the convention banquet. Diane Winger seconded. All members voted in favor.

Club Ownership of Jack Longacre Memorial. Chairman Rowlett addressed the Board with the facts that the State of Missouri does not want to accept the property at the present time. Tim Webb presented the Board with the facts that the Club could take possession of the property since we are Incorporated. The memorial site is located in the same place where the Club museum has been proposed. The site was very special to Jack Longacre, as it is located in an open glade where you can view the summit of Taum Sauk Mountain. Dave Covill discussed the

proposed Highpointers Foundation as being possible owners of the memorial property. Tim Webb was agreeable with this proposal but felt the Club needed to take action on the memorial in the very near future, due to the uncertainty of the date of the creation of the Highpointers Foundation. After more discussion, Tim Webb made the motion for the Highpointers Club to take possession of the memorial property pending acquisition of a liability insurance policy for the Board of Directors of the Highpointers Club and for the property to be acquired for the memorial. Don Holmes amended the motion to try and set a goal of six months to acquire said insurance policy. Jean Trousdale seconded the amendment. All members voted in favor of the amendment and all members voted in favor of the motion.

Proposed changes in By-Laws presented by President, Don Holmes.

1. Change to Reflect When Highpoint Changes Are Published

WHEREAS the Highpoint list is published annually in the Directory; and

WHEREAS the Bylaws currently require that the Highpoint List be
published in the 1st Quarter Newsletter when changes to the list are
approved by the Board of Directors; and

WHEREAS publishing the entire list twice is redundant; and

WHEREAS John Mitchler has suggested the Bylaws be corrected to
reflect the current procedure;

THEREFORE, I move to amend Section 6. Highpointers Logo, Membership
Roster and Highpoint List, Article 6.4 Highpoint List Amendments,
by striking out the first sentence which reads, “The Highpointers
Club and its Highpoint Records Committee shall maintain an official
Highpoint List which shall be published in the first (1st) quarter
Newsletter if there have been any changes in the List during the
preceding year.” and inserting “The Highpointers Club and its
Highpoint Records Committee shall maintain an official Highpoint
List. Any changes in the List approved by the Board of Directors
during the preceding year shall be published in the first (1st)
quarter Newsletter.”

Dave Covill seconded the change. All members voted in favor.

2. Chairman vs Chairperson

WHEREAS the Highpointers Club Bylaws and Parliamentary Procedures
are in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order; and

WHEREAS the following excerpt is from Robert’s Rules of Order, page
33, and I quote,

“MAKING A MAIN MOTION

To make a main motion, a member must obtain the floor. To do so,
stand and address the president, saying: Madam Chairman [or Mr.
Chairman]

This is the correct parliamentary terminology. Many people want
to say chairwoman or chairperson, but these terms are incorrect.
The English language does not have feminine or masculine words,
as do the Latin-based languages. The word chair in English is the
neuter gender, neither masculine nor feminine. It refers either
to the person or the place (chair) occupied by the person. The
word man at the end does not mean a masculine person but stands
for the neuter gender all mankind, including both men and women.
So in English, to acknowledge the gender of the person presiding
in the chair, use the honorifics Mr. or Madam, as follows: Mr.
Chairman or Madam Chairman.”

THEREFORE, I move that all occurrences of Chairperson in the
Highpointers Club Bylaws be changed to Chairman and, if necessary,
change other similar terms accordingly.

John Mitchler seconded the change. Yea votes were two. Nay votes
were nine. Four abstained.

3. Two-Thirds Majority Vote Required to Change Bylaws

WHEREAS the Highpointers Club Bylaws and Parliamentary Procedures
are in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order; and

WHEREAS Robert’s Rules of Order recommend a two-thirds majority
vote to change or amend Bylaws,

THEREFORE, I move to amend Section 9. Procedural Matters, Article
9.2 Amendments, by inserting “two -thirds” before “majority” in the
second sentence.

John Mitchler seconded the change. All members voted in favor.

4. Nominations for the Board of Directors

WHEREAS the Highpointers Club has members geographically
diversified and probably none of the members know all of the other
members; and

WHEREAS the Highpointers Club requires a nomination, by someone
other than the nominee and a second to become a candidate for a
Club Office; and

WHEREAS it seems that the requirements for becoming a candidate for
the Board of Directors should be consistent with the requirements
for becoming an Officer; and

WHEREAS it would probably be a good policy that at least two active
members of the Highpointers Club endorse a potential candidate for
election to the Board of Directors,

THEREFORE, I move to amend Section 2. Boards of Directors, Article
2.9 Election of Directors, Sub-article B. Candidates, by deleting
the first sentence, “Any active member of the Highpointers Club may
nominate one candidate for the Board of Directors”, and replacing
it with the following: “Any active member of the Highpointers Club
may nominate one other active member as a candidate for the Board

of Directors. In addition, another active member must second the
nomination.”

John Mitchler seconded the change. Yea votes were one. Nay votes
were thirteen. One abstained.

Discussion of term limits. John Mitchler brought up discussion that several current Board members, who are very active in the Club, will not be able to run for election next year, due to term limits. He felt this would be a disservice to the Club by prohibiting such active members from remaining on the Board. There was much discussion from most Board members. John Mitchler made a motion to abolish term limits. Jean Trousdale seconded. Yea votes were nine. Nay votes were five. One abstained. The motion was defeated, as this is a By-Laws change and did not meet the two-thirds majority vote for changing By-Laws.

Stony Burke made a presentation of the new trail register and signs for the summit of Jerimoth Hill, Rhode Island. Stony was commended for all of his volunteer work for the open access dates on Rhode Island over the past several years.

Stony Burke also had discussion on 48 & 50 completer plaques. It was the consensus of the Board to make no changes at the present time.

There being no further new business, Chairman Rowlett reminded the Board that a group photo of the Board was needed immediately following the meeting.

After discussion, it was decided that Committee Reports would be handled via email session.

Chairman Rowlett asked if there was any other business or reports. There being none, Don Holmes moved to adjourn the meeting. After same was seconded and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,
Tim Webb, Secretary

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