Proposed By Law Revisions for June 12, 2013 Overview & Summary

The last major revision of the By Laws for United Way of Greater Plymouth County was voted on at the organization’s Annual Meeting on June 6, 2012. Primarily, these revisions eliminated the role of “Corporators” from the organization.

The more recent drive to revise UWGPC By Laws has arisen as the Board of Directors began to work on the implementation of its Strategic Plan for 2012-2015. Board Chair, Leo MacNeil appointed a Board By Law Revision Task Force, including Board Members, Chris Baynes, Jane Borkowsi, Steve Hall, Jim Marsh, and ex-officio Beverly Pavasaris, President of Brockton VNA and UW Agency Executives Chair. The current By Laws needed significant revision to be aligned with many of the new aspects of the strategic plan, particularly the new vision and mission statements. Many members of the UWGPC Board of Directors also expressed concern that the current By Laws were lengthy and overly complicated.

In an effort not to “reinvent the wheel” the By Law Revision Task Force reviewed samples of By Laws from other United Ways, including several of its neighboring local United Ways. Due to the many similarities in size and scope, the By Law Revision Task Force decided to utilize the By Laws of United Way of Greater New Bedford as a basic template in composing the following recommendations for By Law changes.

To summarize the major changes from the current By Laws to the recommended By Laws:

Article I

Section 2: Reflect address change of Corporate Office to 934 West Chestnut Street, Brockton, MA 02301

Section 4: Elimination of “Members” of the United Way of Greater Plymouth County with many of their former roles being transferred to the UWGPC Board of Directors. So, for example, instead of the members of UWGPC voting on Board Officers, Board Members and By Law Changes, these responsibilities will be taken on by the UWGPC Board of Directors.

Section 7: New Vision & Mission Statements aligned with the new Strategic Plan for 2012-2015.

Article II

Section 3: Increase the range of the number of potential Board of Directors from 15-21 members.

Section 4: Term Limits clarified so that Board Members are limited to two, three year terms, unless extended to one additional three year term by a vote of 2/3 of the Board of Directors. The provision that allowed Board members to extend their term of office by assuming an Officer’s role has been removed. Language has been added so that time served in either Unexpired Terms nor as Immediate Past Chair is counted in determining Term Limits

Section 11: Descriptions of Board Committee were revised to capture more recent practices, for example reducing the language describing the Board Governance Committee, and adding descriptions of a Marketing & Communications Committee not included in the last version of the By Laws2nd

Article III

Section 1: Elimination of both 2nd Vice Chair and Assistant Treasurer roles

Article IV

Slight title change from President & Chief Executive Officer to “President/Chief Executive Officer.

Articles VI-IX

Adopted standard language from template utilized by United Way of Greater New Bedford

Article X

Updated parliamentary authority from “Robert’s Rules of Order – Newly Revised” to “Robert’s Rules of Order – Summary Version”.