Article II 

Present wording: Purpose and Policy

     Section 1.  Purpose.  The purposes of the League of Women Voters….

Change caption heading to Purposes and Policy.  Call Section 1.  Purposes.

Explanation: Making this change brings local bylaws into conformity with state and national bylaws for this Article.

Article IV, Section 3.  Vacancies.  Last sentence.

Present wording: Three absences from a Board meeting by any member without a valid reason shall be deemed a resignation.

Insert the word consecutive before absences.  Add another sentence “The President determines what is an excusable absence.”  The wording would become “Three consecutive absences from a Board meeting by any member without a valid reason shall be deemed a resignation.  The President determines what is an excusable absence.”

Explanation:  To clarify the meaning of three absences.  Three absences in a row (consecutive) would be more likely to show lack of interest in being on the board, whereas three absences that were not consecutive might be the result of personal illness or other pressing business.   The additional sentence would identify who (the President) would determine the validity of the excused absence.

Article VI, Section 2.  Dues.  Next-to-last sentence.

Present wording:  The Board may reduce the membership dues for students who join LWV-Denton for the first time.

Insert the word “fulltime” before “students” and delete the phrase “for the first time.”  The statement would then read “The Board may reduce the membership dues for fulltime students who join LWV-Denton.”

Explanation: It was not our intention to reduce the dues for anyone who might be enrolled in less than a full academic load.  We also believe that changing the dues structure for renewing student members might keep them from rejoining.

Article IX, Section 1.  Authorization.

Present wording: The governmental principles adopted by the National Convention, and supported by the League as a whole, constitute the authorization for the adoption of Program.

Omit the phrase “constitute the authorization for” and insert “authorizes.”  The statement would then read “The governmental principles adopted by the National Convention, and supported by the League as a whole, authorizes the adoption of Program.

Explanation: Use of the word “constitute” seems archaic.  “Authorizes” accomplishes the same thing without such awkward wording.

STUDY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

SUPPORT OF

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF DENTON

            MUNICIPAL SERVICES

            PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

            SOCIAL POLICY/HUMAN RESOURCES

            ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

            LAND USE

            CITY CHARTER

                        TERM LIMITS FOR DENTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

            DENTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

President Sue Smith called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.  Tellers appointed were Jean Aboul-Ela and Sarah McIntire.  Tom La Point was appointed parliamentarian.  A quorum (20 percent of membership) was met with 18 members present.  Sondra Ferstl moved adoption of the Rules of the Day; Kay Branum seconded the motion.  The motion passed.  It was agreed that only members may address the meeting.  Speakers were limited to two minutes.  No member may speak a second time until all who intend to speak have spoken.  Sue Smith noted that minutes of the April 28, 2007 Annual Meeting were printed in the April 2008 edition of the Denton VOTER.

Treasurer Ann MacMillan presented her report covering the period June 1, 2007 through April 19, 2008.  A copy of the report is found in these minutes as Attachment A.  Several members asked questions, such as why no expenditures were shown for the Membership Handbook and the Finance Drive.  Bills for those expenditures had not been submitted for reimbursement.  An accurate accounting of League expenses should reflect these expenditures before the treasurer’s books are closed for the year.

President Sue Smith presented her president’s report.  She thanked Maggie Dodd and Peg La Point for our excellent programs this year.  The board distributed Voters Guides from LWV-Texas Education Fund for the proposed Constitutional Amendments election in November 2007 and the Primary elections in March 2008.  The board prepared and distributed a Voters Guide to the City Council elections scheduled for May 2008.  Linnie McAdams represented us at a national conference, “Women of Color,” held at University of North Texas.  Maggie Dodd is organizing voter registration for the Citizenship Ceremony on May 6.  Marilyn Smith decorated a purse for the Greater Denton Arts Council auction “It’s in the bag.”  Sondra Ferstl and Sue Smith were delegates to the LWV-Texas Convention in April.  Sondra Ferstl was elected to serve a two-year term on the LWV-Texas Nominating Committee.  Sondra will be the Denton League’s delegate to LWVUS National Convention in Portland, Oregon in June.  Thanks to Agnes Rogers for writing all our thank you notes after Finance Drive.  We lost one former member this year, Gerry Smith.  She was very active many years ago and served in many capacities on our board.  Sue also thanked Marilyn Smith for decorating two shoes for the LOLITS awards.

Ann MacMillan presented the Proposed Budget for June 1, 2008 – May 31, 2009.  A copy of this budget is included in these minutes as Attachment B.  Dues would remain at $50 per individual member, with a reduced amount of $25 for a second household member and $20 for a full-time student.

Sondra Ferstl reported that no changes in the Bylaws were recommended for this meeting.

Peg La Point reported that no new study was proposed for adoption by LWV-Denton.  The board does recommend the re-adoption of our local program positions as listed in the Member Handbook.

Kay Branum gave the report from the Nominating Committee.  The nominees for the Board of Directors 2008-2009 are Peg La Point (Program VP), Sondra Ferstl (Treasurer), and Rosemary Witmer (Director).  The nominating committee was unable to find anyone for the position of Community Service/Voters Service VP.  Marilyn Smith was nominated to be Nominating Committee Chair for next year and Lois Sorensen and Dorothy Damico were nominated as members of her committee.  Sue Smith asked if there were any nominations from the floor, and there were none.

Sue Smith presented a Little Old Lady in Tennis Shoes (LOLITS) award to Tom La Point for his involvement in environmental issues and his support of a place for League meetings, both general meetings and board meetings.

 At this point of the meeting, a vote was taken on the following motions:

Linnie McAdams moved, Barbara Coe seconded, that dues for 2008-2009 remain at $50 for an individual members, $25 for each additional member of a household, and $20 for a full-time student member.  The motion passed.

Barbara Coe moved and Linnie McAdams seconded adoption of the proposed budget for 2008-2009 as printed in the Annual Meeting Workbook. The motion passed.

Maggie Dodd moved and Linnie McAdams seconded that we readopt the Local Program as printed in the current Member Handbook.  The motion passed.

Barbara Coe moved that the Nominating Committee’s slate of nominees be elected as presented.  The motion passed. 

Sue Smith introduced the members of the Board of Directors for 2008-2009.  They are Peg La Point, Program Vice President; Linnie McAdams, Organization Vice President; Ken Ferstl, Secretary; Sondra Ferstl, Treasurer; Maggie Dodd, Rosemary Witmer, and Barbara Coe, Directors.  Sue Smith continues as President.

In her appreciation of the Board of Directors 2007-2008 Sue Smith gave an appreciation gift (a plant) to Ann MacMillan who served as Treasurer and is going off the board.  She recognized the outstanding services to LWV-Denton given by Ken Ferstl and Linnie McAdams by giving each one a Gladys Barstis award.

Peg La Point introduced our speaker, Virginia Gallian, a LWV-Denton member who will be retiring from the Denton Independent School District Board of Trustees this spring.  Ms. Gallian spoke primarily in four areas: day care for staff, extended school day, new set of goals, and societal changes.  At the conclusion of her remarks, President Smith presented her with a LOLITS award.