Welcome to the official Chesapeake Bay fall season! It brings to us cool temperatures and good breezes from the north west. This is one of the best and most beautiful times of year to be out on the water. Although gathering in large groups is not permitted, we can surely enjoy the Chesapeake fall on a smaller scale.
One of the traditional highlights of the fall is the Back Creek Yacht Club Annual Meeting where members gather and enjoy the comradery of others, while partaking of the complimentary food and beverage, and the opportunity to vote on a new slate of Officers for the upcoming year. However, like the many changes we have been experiencing this year, there are modifications to this event made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic. I will explain these below.
The traditional Annual Meeting that is on the calendar for October 4th has been cancelled. Instead our Annual Meeting will have two stages. The first stage will be a Zoom event on Saturday, October 17, 2020, at 3:00 p.m. This event will be open to all members. It will include a review of the past year, a plan for 2021, and an explanation of how we may vote in the future for the incoming Officers and BOG members, and Bylaw changes. You will also be asked to give your approval for the slate of Officers and for a Bylaw change that enables electronic voting at future meetings.
The second stage will be an In Person Meeting to take place October 24, 2020 at a time and place to be determined. At this meeting, a quorum of members (10 to 12 or more members) will vote in person for the new Officers, BOG members, and the Bylaw change. This meeting will be open to all. However, your attendance is not required.
This two-step process is necessary because the Club’s current Bylaws only provide for in person voting for Officers, BOG members and Bylaw changes.
Because of the extremely limited number of Club activities this year, the Nomination Committee, with the BOG’s support, has decided to recommend that the Club keep the 2020 slate of Officers for another year. There are two exceptions to this. One is that John Yates has agreed to accept the Rear Commodore’s position which was temporarily filled by former Commodore Terry Bidnick. The second is that Chris Soucy has agreed to replace Patti Bartlett as the club’s Secretary. Here is the slate of officers for 2021 that will be submitted for your approval.
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Commodore |
Tom Bernhart
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Vice Commodore
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Tim Feldmann
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Rear Commodore
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John Yates
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Fleet Captain
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Justin Tindale
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Secretary |
Chris Soucy
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Treasurer |
Westbrook Murphy
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Governor |
Larry Awalt
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Governor |
Rosie Cavin
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Governor |
Candy Wilson
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In view of the club’s recently improved technical capabilities, such as Zoom, and in a response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the BOG is recommending that the Club bylaws be changed to permit electronic meetings and electronic voting. The proposed changes make this possible and are shown below:
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Existing Bylaw Text |
Proposed Amendment
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MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERSHIP
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6 c) Notice of Membership Meeting. Notices of all Membership Meetings shall be posted in the Clubhouse and/or on the Club’s Website, and mailed or emailed to the current address of each Regular Member not less than ten (10) days prior to the meeting date. Such notices shall state the date, time and place of the Membership Meeting and, in the case of Special Membership Meetings, the purpose of such meeting. The notice of the Annual Membership Meeting shall contain the slate of nominees received by the Secretary as set forth in these Bylaws. |
6 c) Notice of Membership Meeting. Notices of all Membership Meetings shall be posted in the Clubhouse and/or on the Club’s Website and mailed or emailed to the current address of each Regular Member not less than ten (10) days prior to the meeting date. Such notices shall state the date, time and place of the Membership Meeting and the method (if any) for remote attendance and voting. In the case of Special Membership Meetings, the purpose of such meeting also shall be stated. The notice of the Annual Membership Meeting shall contain the slate of nominees received by the Secretary as set forth in these Bylaws. |
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6 e) Proxies. No Regular Member shall be entitled to cast a vote unless present in person at the Membership Meeting.
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6 e) Voting. Each household who is a Regular Member shall be entitled to cast one (1) vote. Votes may be cast in person or by a remote means approved at least 30 days in advance by the Board of Governors and announced in the Notice of Meeting.
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6 f) Voting. Each household who is a Regular Member shall be entitled to cast one (1) vote. All voting shall be by voice vote unless there is a motion passed requesting a vote by ballot. Election of officers shall be by written ballot if there are more nominations than offices to be filled. A motion shall carry if supported by a majority of the votes cast. In the case of elections in which more than one candidate is nominated the candidate receiving the most votes shall be declared the winner, and in the case of a tie, there shall be one or more runoff votes of the candidates receiving the highest number of votes until one receives the most votes. |
6 f) Meeting Procedures. All voting shall be by voice vote unless there is a motion passed requesting a vote by ballot. Election of officers shall be by written ballot if there are more nominations than offices to be filled. A motion shall carry if supported by a majority of the votes cast. In the case of elections in which more than one candidate is nominated the candidate receiving the most votes shall be declared the winner, and in the case of a tie, there shall be one or more runoff votes of the candidates receiving the highest number of votes until one receives the most votes.
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BOARD OF GOVERNORS
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7 g) Participation In Meetings By Telephone. Members of the Board of Governors may participate in a Regular Meeting or Special Meeting of the Board of Governors by telephone, so long as all Members of the Board of Governors, whether in attendance in person or by telephone, can hear each other. |
7 g) Participation In Meetings By Remote Means. Members of the Board of Governors may participate in a Regular Meeting or Special Meeting of the Board of Governors by telephone or other electronic means, so long as all Members of the Board of Governors can hear each other.
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I am looking forward to seeing you at the Zoom Meeting and future events. I hope that you and your family are safe and well.
Regards,
Tom Bernhart, Commodore
Back Creek Yacht Club
