7. Proposal to reduce Rotary Costs - Electronic Delivery of RI President's message

At a regular meeting of the Shelton Skookum Rotary Club, the members voted on and

approved the attached Proposal to the Rotary International Council on Legislation.

The Proposal is ''to minimize the cost to Rotary for delivering the Rotary Intemational

President's message to District Conferences". The vote was taken November 23, 2011.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

Skookum Rotary Club

Club #83 District 5020

Shelton, WA

To minimize the cost to Rotary for delivering the Rotary International President's message to

District Conferences.

WHEREAS the Rotary International President usually dispatches a personal representative to

deliver his message to various District Conferences around the world, and

WHEREAS the annual expense to Rotary for travel and lodging for the President's

Representative amounts to several hundred thousand dollars, and

WHEREAS the President's Representative delivers a brief message at the District Conference

that is often not in the language of the Conference attendees and is thus potentially ineffective,

and

WHEREAS Rotary International strives to be good stewards of the funds expended to support

the Clubs and Districts, and

WHEREAS the Districts and Clubs in the Rotary world are using various technologies to reduce

travel and meeting costs.

IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED the Rotary International Board of Directors shall direct the General

Secretary to develop a cost effective and meaningful method for delivery of the Rotary

International President's message to the District Conferences.

PURPOSE AND EFFECT STATEMENT

The Rl President Rep often travels several thousand miles at great expense to deliver a short

speech. The delivery and effectiveness of the message if often diluted because of language

issues.

There are several PDG's in close proximity to most District Conferences that are articulate in the

usual language of the Conference attendees and are highly capable public speakers. These

PDG's, as Rl President's Representatives, would provide a more effective message delivery at

greatly reduced cost to Rotary.

Electronic delivery of the Rl President's message is possible, directly from the Rl President.

Sending a personal representative is an expense that is no longer necessary to Rotary. Funds

saved can then be put to the good works of Rotary and Rotarians.

6. Proposal re Club Officers

PROPOSED ENACTMENT

 To make it  optional for clubs  to elect  "one or more  vice-presidents" and a sergeant-at-arms as  officers.

Proposed by the Rotary  Club of West  Olympia, WA USA

Endorsed  by District 5020  through email balloting.

IT lS ENACTED  by Rotary International that the STANDARD ROTARY CLUB CONSTITUTION  OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL be and  herby IS amended as follows:

 In Article 10.  Section 4. Officers. (page 249 of the 2010  MOP),

The  wording of  this section is amended as follows:

The  club officers shall be a president, the  immediate past president, and a president-elect. and may  include one or more vice-presidents, all  of whom shall be members of theboard. and a secretary. a treasurer, and may  include a sergeant-at-arms, all of  whommay eruna1er+e+ be members  of the board as the  bylaws shall provide.

PURPOSE AND EFFECT STATEMENT

 This change  would prevent clubs  from having to  include one or more vice-presidentsand a sergeant-at-arms as  officers of  their club, thereby reducing the number of  officersthat clubs must elect, and reducing the size  of the board of directors for some clubs, many of  whom do  not currently include a  vice president  or sergeant-at-arms as  officersor board members. This change  might especially  benefit smaller clubs that may find itunnecessary  to have a vice-president,  or to have  their sergeant-at-arms serve as anofficer  or board member. For instance, if the  duty of a  vice-president is  to "preside at meetings  of the  club and the board  in the absence  of the president and  to perfonnother duties as ordinarily pertain to the office  of vice-president". as stated  in the recommended

club bylaws, then it's not clear why these duties  can't be performed  by the immediatepast president or president-elect as they  often are  in many clubs.

5. Proposal re reduction of time/cost required for changes to RI Legislation

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

PURPOSE: To substantially reduce the time required for and cost of making

changes to Rotary International legislation

PROPOSED BY: the Rotary Club of Nanaimo North

ENDORSED BY: District 5020 by e-mail balloting

WHEREAS the Council on Legislation currently meets in person once every

three years to consider both enactments and proposed resolutions;

AND WHEREAS the current cost of operating the Council on Legislation is

approximately $1,200,000 per year;

AND WHEREAS the challenges faced by the Rotary International in both

retaining and recruiting members require legislative changes be made at a

quicker pace consistent with other international organizations;

IT IS RESOLVED that the Rotary International Board of Directors consider

establishing a committee to recommend changes to the current system for

considering legislative change in order to substantially reduce the time required

to consider proposed changes to legislation and to substantially reduce the cost

of the process, with the report of such committee to be presented for

consideration within 18 months of formation.

PURPOSE AND EFFECT STATEMENT:

The rate of change in organizations worldwide continues to accelerate. In order

to remain competitive and lead in their areas of expertise, organizations are

changing the way they make decisions in order to ensure that their product or

service meets the changing needs of their customers. Rotary is no different. We

must change in response to the needs of our current members and to adjust our

organization so that it is appealing to new members- particularly younger ones.

The current process for legislative reform in Rotary is too slow and does not

reflect the reality of today's world. In addition, at $1.00 per worldwide member

per year, it is too expensive. We suggest that the committee consider the

following:

• Prospective new, young members seek flexible organizations which

can react to change in a timely fashion

• communication which preclude the need for an international face to

face meeting, allow for faster decision making and substantially

reduce costs

• Eliminating the need for Council of Legislation worldwide delegates

to travel to a central location will substantially reduce Rotary's

carbon footprint

• The process could be made more transparent allowing Rotarians to

monitor the progress of proposed changes

We believe the effect of implementing a faster, more economical and more

transparent system for legislative change will help both existing and prospective

member perceive Rotary International as an increasingly progressive

organization striving to meet their needs. This perception will lead to improved

member retention and recruitment.

Proposed November 2011 by:

The Rotary Club of Nanaimo North

4. Proposal re Revision of Leave of Absence for Medical Reasons

Proposal re Revision of Leave of Absence for Medical Reasons

PROPOSED ENACTMENT

To revise criteria for leave of absence as relates to medical reasons and to address the issue of attendance reporting as relates to the approved leave of absence for medical reasons.

Proposed by:

Rotary Club of Chehalis

Rotary Club of Centralia

IT IS ENACTED by Rotary International that the STANDARD ROTARY CLUB CONSTITUTION be and hereby are amended as follows (page 248 MOP) and the Standard Rotary Club Bylaws be and hereby are amended as follows (Page 262 MOP)

Standard Rotary Club Constitution

Article 9 Attendance

9.3 Excused Absences.  A member’s absence shall be excused if 

(a) The absence complies with the conditions and under circumstances approved by the board.  The board may excuse a member’s absence for reasons which it considers to be good and sufficient.  Such excused absences shall not extend for longer than twelve months.  However, if the leave is for a medical reason that extends for more than 12 months such leave may be renewed by the board for a period of time beyond the original 12 months.  Such leave for medical purposes shall not be counted as an absence for purposes of attendance records of the club.

Standard Rotary Club Bylaws:

Article 11

Upon written application to the board, setting forth good and sufficient cause, leave of absence may be granted excusing a member from attending the meetings of the club for no longer than twelve (12) months.  If the leave is for a medical reason that extends more than 12 months such leave may be renewed by the board for a period of time beyond the original 12 months.  Such leave for medical purposes shall not be counted as an absence for purposes of attendance records of the club.

Statement of Purpose and Effect:

Many long serving and worthy Rotarians may encounter a circumstance in their life where a medical condition occurs which is beyond their control.  Neither the Rotarian nor the club should be penalized for such circumstances.  The Rotary Club of Chehalis had a Pearl Harbor survivor who never missed a Rotary meeting unless he was ill.  When he reached the point in his life whereby he was no longer physically able to attend meetings, it seemed not reasonable to terminate his membership simply because his life continued beyond the 12 month leave period.  Furthermore it doesn’t seem reasonable that the club be penalized in their attendance records for providing that medical leave of absence.  We had a similar circumstance for a member who was waiting for a donor for a heart and lung transplant.  Both of the above examples were members who were dedicated to the Rotary cause and were productive contributing members of the club.