2017 Bylaw Update

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This year at our annual meeting we will be voting on an update to our Bylaws. Please review these edits and come to our Annual Meeting on June 22 to vote.

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

To read the full BTLT bylaws, click HERE.

The BTLT Board of Directors has undertaken a review of our Bylaws, last updated in 201O. A number of editorial and substantive amendments are proposed for approval by the BTLT membership at the June 22, 2017 Annual Meeting. The attached annotated Bylaws shows specific suggested amendments. The significant changes we wish to draw to members’ attention are:

  • The Purposes section includes more explicit reference to community benefits and added language on our general commitment to good governance and compliance with IRS requirements.
  • Require all Officers to be Directors. This is our practice but not required by the existing Bylaws.
  • Eliminate provisions for life members. We have never appointed a life member and do not expect to adopt this practice.
  • Provide flexibility to change the timing of the Annual Meeting if the Board of Directors determines this to be desirable.
  • Make procedure for resignations of Directors more flexible. Notification to any of the President, Vice President, or Secretary would be allowed, which reflects current practice.
  • Require written terms of reference for standing committees established by the Board beyond those mandated in the Bylaws. This has been our practice for the Development Committee and Community Engagement and Programs Committee.
  • Clarify provisions that allow the Board of Directors to authorize the Executive Director to sign checks and transfer funds on behalf of the Land Trust. With our larger staff and internal controls this authorization makes financial administration more efficient.
  • Strengthen language of Article XIII on prohibition of private gain. Now that we have a conflict of interest policy the Bylaws should make this a more explicit requirement.
  • Add to Article XIV on Dissolution recognition of the possibility of Merger. There have been increasing number of mergers among conservation organizations and this change will provide clarity of how such a situation would be handled.