Reminder there will be a Special General Meeting at 6pm on Thursday 28 May 2009. The location will be the same room used for general debates that week.
Agenda for the SGM:
The meeting will be asked to vote on the following four motions.
1. The members affirm the constitutional changes made at the SGM held 12 February 2009.
2. That clause 8.5 of the Constitution be replaced to read:
"8.5 The quorum for a General Meeting shall be fifteen paid up members of the Society and any business transacted while the meeting is inquorate shall be null and void."
3. That a new clause 8.6 be added that reads:
"8.6 Where a General Meeting is held in the first three months of the calendar year, the Executive must make reasonable efforts to give all paid up members of the previous calendar year at least 14 days notice of the meeting. They must also provide those past members with an opportunity to renew their membership. This clause is in addition to the notice requirements for current paid up members."
4. The members support the Executive's plans for the Society in semester two of 2009.
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Who can attend and vote at the SGM?
Any paid up member can speak, vote and propose motions at the SGM.
What do the changes mean (in more depth)?
Earlier this year the Society made a number of small additions to our Constitution regarding how we spend money (and what we can spend it on). These changes were at the request of the IRD and they aided with our transition to becoming a legally incorporated society (with charitable status). Attached is a summary of those changes.
In order to progress those applications the Society passed the amendments at an SGM during the summer break. Although that SGM was constitutionally valid, the process alerted the Executive to some ambiguity in the current wording of our quorum clauses. In particular, quorum is presently 25 paid up members, or one third of paid up members (whichever is lower). During semester this does not raise a problem (as quorum will invariably be 25 members) but during the first few months of the year it is possible that the number of paid up members is very small (say, 10) leaving it open for changes to be made with a very small mandate - one third of this number.
This year, the Society called the earlier SGM under this system but resolved to only pass the changes if we received at least 15 'yes' votes (enough to have a majority in a 25 member meeting) and further resolved to have an SGM this semester to affirm those changes. This is that SGM and explains the first motion. We also wish to clarify the quorum requirements going forward, covered by motions two and three.
Finally, the Executive is presently considering a few changes to our announced calendar and plans in semester two. Although these changes are all within the powers granted to the Executive under the Constitution (and do not need the mandate of a General Meeting) the Executive would like to take this opportunity to signal these to the wider membership.
A summary of changes made at the previous SGM can be downloaded here:www.debating.co.nz/Changes.pdf
and the current Constitution can be downloaded here:
Any questions let us know,
Brad
