BITBURG HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
MINUTES
OF
General Membership Meeting
(10:00 – 1:30 am – Saturday, October 27, 2012)
Call to Order – President Bob
Anderson
Quorum – A quorum was declared by the President
Review and Approval of 2009 Board Minutes – Bob Anderson
A motion for approval of the minutes was made by Roger Lamb and second by Cam Strong. The motion was unanimously approved by the Membership.
Treasurer’s Report – Geri Lagish Hilliard
Gerry reported a current balance in the General Operating Account of $11,986.26, and a current balance in the Reunion Account of $516.00. The $695 collected in dues received this year is reflected in the General Operating Account balance. Gerry provided an update on the 2012 Reunion expenditures (provided by Bill Wiehl). The Reunion has received revenue of $3,773.03 and expenses of $3,500.00 to date. Once the reunion has collected the final unpaid registration fees and paid all of its bills, Bill is forecasting a small positive balance in the Reunion Account.
Old Business:
Bob Anderson asked Cam to provide an overview on the Association’s governance documents. Cam reported the Association was incorporated in 1987 as a non-profit corporation in the State of Georgia. The Associations Articles of Incorporation lists the names of 13 members of the initial Board of Directors. Later this morning, we will be voting on a few revisions to these governing documents which must be approved by the General Membership. The Association’s Bylaws require all funds collected or disbursed through a checking or savings account called the General Operating Account. The Bylaws also require all social activities and gatherings to be self-supporting by the participants and not paid by the General Operating Funds. Bob Anderson mentioned he had recently attended his wife’s reunion and talked with the Treasurer about how they operated. She said they were not incorporated and she simply comingled their association’s funds into her personal checking account, so he now better appreciates the thoughtfulness the Board has been taken over the past 25 years by incorporating and having the benefit of an active Board for oversight of the Associations operations and funds.
New Business: At
this time, Bob turned the meeting over to Cam
Item # 1 - Special Acknowledgements – Cam Strong
l Chair Pat Schreiber Mathis
l Vice Chair Jack Albrecht
l Sec. Bill Wiehl
l Member at Large Rosemari Garrison Davis
l Member at Large Sharon Warren Stewart
l Member at Large Roger Lamb
l Member at Large Jane Nicola Mathis
l Member at Large Kathy Ford Litalien
l Special Advisor (non-voting) - Cam Strong
l President - Bob Anderson
l President Elect - Jane Nicola Mathis
l Treasurer - Gerry Lagish Hilliard
l Secretary – Bill Wiehl
Item # 2 – A slideshow tribute to Dr. Michael Dietzsch and Bitburger Pils for their support and sponsorship of our Reunions over the past 25 years was presented by Cam Strong with the presentation development help of Michaela Flynn Van Deusen and technical support of Janie Nicola Mathis.
Item # 3 – The “In Remembrance: video of our classmates who have passed was presented by Janie Nicola Mathis followed by a prayer provided by Roger Lamb.
Item # 4 - Board Nominations for General Membership
Approval
SLATE OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION:
l Board Chair - Pat Schreiber Mathis
l Association President - Jane Nicola Mathis
l President Elect - Michaela Flynn Van Deusen
l Secretary - Bill Wiehl
l Treasurer - Gerry Lagish Hilliard (new Board position)
l Member at Large Rosemari Garrison Davis
l Member at Large Sharon Warren Stewart
l Member at Large Roger Lamb
l Member at Large Kathy Ford Litalien
l Special Advisor (non-voting) - Cam Strong
A motion for approval of this slate was made by Jim Slaughter and Second by Johnnie Turner. The Membership unanimously approved this motion.
NEW COMMITTEE CHAIRS APPOINTED BY THE BOARD were announced by Cam Strong
l Membership Roster Manager – Sue Weeks Hansen
l Webmaster - Don Cooper
l Newsletter Coordinator – Sharon Warren Stuart
l Memorabilia Coordinator – Kathy Ford Litalien
l 2015 Reunion Coordinator – Jim Slaughter
l Digital Archive Administrator – Jack Albrecht (new committee position)
Item # 5 – The Board’s decision to hold the next reunion in Texas and Jim Slaughter as Coordinator was announced by Cam Strong
Item # 6 - Board recommendation for revising the Articles of Incorporation for approval of Membership – by Cam Strong
The Board of Directors is recommending the elimination of Article VII of the Articles of Incorporation (which only lists the initial 13 members of the Board of Directors), and Article V be replaced by the following:
“Revised Article V of the
Articles of Incorporation: The affairs of the corporation shall be
managed by a nine (9) member Board of Directors who will each serve a three (3)
year term without any limit on the number of terms served. The term shall begin
immediately upon the affirmative vote of the Membership. The method of election of Directors shall be
described in the Bylaws of the Corporation.”
A motion was made and second to approve these revisions to the Articles of Incorporation. The Membership unanimously approved this motion.
Item # 7 - Board recommendation for revising the Bylaws for approval of Membership by Cam Strong
The Board of Directors is recommending Article III of the Bylaws be revised to set forth the method of election of Directors and Officers as well as replace the current Officer positions (from Chairman, Treasurer, Director of Communications and Reunion Coordinator) as follows:
Revised Article III of the
Bylaws - DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS:
OFFICERS: The following five (5)
Officer positions, hereby called the “Executive Committee” shall be nominated
by the Board of Directors and elected by majority vote of the of the Membership
at its official Reunion which is scheduled to be held every three (3) years.
Chair of the Board of
Directors – The primary
responsibility of this leadership position is to provide for a timely call for
Board agenda items, prepare the Board’s agendas and preside over the meetings
of Board of Directors, and call special meetings as required.
Association President – The primary responsibilities of this
leadership position is to guide and direct the day-to-day affairs and
operations of the Association as well as preside over the meetings of the Board
in the absence of the Board Chair. The
President shall sign all contracts for the Association and shall prepare an
annual budget for approval of the Board.
The Association’s fiscal year shall be from April 1st through
March 31st of each year.
President Elect – The primary responsibility of the
President Elect is to provide back-up support in the absence of the
President. At the completion of the
President’s 3 year term, the President Elect shall automatically move into the
role of the President for a 3 year term.
Treasurer – This position serves as the Association’s
chief financial officer, accountant and signatory for all financial accounts
(checking, savings, etc.). The Treasurer
shall be responsible for managing the proper controls over the receipt and
disbursement of Associations funds in accordance with Article IV of the
Bylaws. The Treasurer shall provide a
quarterly report to all of the members of the Board showing the balances on
hand in the General Operating Account and the Reunion Account and any other
account where Association funds are maintained.
Secretary – This position is responsible for issuing
timely meeting notices with agendas for meetings held by the Board of Directors
as well as the Association General Membership and shall also take the minutes
of all such official meetings held as well as maintain copies of all minutes of
these meetings.
Election of Board of Directors and Officers of the Association - The
Board shall nominate a slate of five (5) Officers of the Association (Chair of
the Board of Directors, Association President, President Elect, Treasurer and
Secretary) as well as four (4) additional Board members at large for approval
by majority vote of the Membership at its official Reunion which is scheduled
to be held every three (3) years. Should
a Board member or officer resign before completing their term, the Board shall
appoint a replacement Board Member to serve the remainder of the term until the
next official General Membership meeting.
A motion was made and second to approve these revisions to the Bylaws. The Membership unanimously approved this motion.
Item # 8 – PASSING
THE GAVEL – President Bob Anderson hands over the Presidency to the incoming
President, Janie Nicola Mathis
Item # 9 – Election of Class Reps – Cam Strong
Following a break-out of each of the classes, they reported the election of the following new class representatives:
1963 - Don Cooper
1964 - Camille Hitch Smith
1965 - Marcel (Johnny) Turner
1966 - Beth Llorens Jauhola
1967 - Sue Lockhart Faifer
1968 - Suzie Rae
1969 - John Welnack
1970 - Jack Albrecht
Item # 10 – Membership Open Forum – Cam Strong
No further comments or questions were offered.
Item # 11 – Raffle of Surplus Bitburg Items – Sue Weeks Hansen
Meeting Adjourned followed by Class Photos and a meeting of the Class Reps. Here is a summary of the Meeting of the Class Reps:
Following the election of the new Class Representatives, Roger Lamb, Janie Nicola Mathis and Sharon Warren Stewart offered to meet with the newly appointed Class Reps. They talked about the Boards goal to rebuild an effective Class Rep communications network with classmates in order to support a twice a year E-Newsletter increase Alumni participation at future reunions. The three Board members also talked about the roles and responsibilities of each Class Rep for actively supporting this important communications network goal by collecting information regarding their classmates so that Sharon Warren Stewart could include this information a twice per year E-newsletter to be sent out to all alumni.
Minutes Prepared by Cam Strong