Agenda - from LCS

The following is the agenda for the meeting(s) to occur Thursday at 10:00am - Registration to vote begins at 9:30.

Proposed Announcement of Agenda

Lake Chapala Society Recall Meeting

December 11, 2008

In the wake of unpopular but vitally necessary action to address serious financial shortfalls at LCS taken by your Board of Directors in October 2008, petitions were circulated to recall three Board members. All three petitions had the required number of signatures of members but failed to state complete reasons why the people should be recalled and did not state factual information arguable required by the LCS by-laws. Fairness also would seem to require specifics. Your Board unanimously voted nevertheless to go forward with a vote on the petitions in order to resolve the matter on the merits rather than reject the petitions as invalid.

Your Board is responsible for conducting the meeting to consider the petitions in accordance with LCS by-laws and Robert’s Rules of Order. A Board member met with the presenter of the petitions and two other supporters of the recall to discuss procedures for the meeting. No agreement was reached.

The Board proposed:

• consolidating the three separate petitions into one for the purpose of discussion only,
• limiting the speakers to three for the recall and three against the recall for three minutes each,
• an opportunity for each of the three members named to speak for themselves for a limited time,
• and then proceed to the vote.

The presenter’s position was:

• all that needs to be said has been said in the articles in the newspapers and on web boards,
• there was no need to say anything at the meeting because everyone has made up their mind on the matter,
• if there was discussion or debate the meeting would get out of control and take too long,
• therefore, there should be no debate or discussion just the vote.

Your board feels that in fairness to all there should be the opportunity at the meeting before the voting to hear speakers both for and against the recall and that the three members themselves should be able to address you. Hearing from speakers will also ensure that the minutes of the meeting reflect the reasons advanced for and against the petitions. Therefore your board will proceed as follows.

Members in good standing as of 2:00 PM December 10, 2008 wishing to vote must present their LCS membership card and one form of photo ID, and sign the attendance log. The sign in tables will be open at 9:30 AM. The number of votes needed to remove a member is based on the number of members present, not the number voting.

I. Call to Order at 10:00 AM. Two thirds of the total membership will not be present so the meeting must be recessed for 30 minutes in an attempt to reach a quorum. During this recess the voting procedure on the main motion will be explained by the head teller. After (30) thirty minutes the meeting will reconvene and with more than (50) fifty members in good standing present a quorum exists.

II. The President will call for a motion “that the three petitions of recall be combined into one petition for the discussion of, for recall or against recall, with the three named parties stated separately for the purpose of voting by secret ballot.” THIS MOTION IS WITHOUT DEBATE AND REQUIRES A MAJORITY VOTE.

If this motion does not pass then the meeting will proceed in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order and the petitions must be discussed or debated separately.

III. The President will then call for a motion to limit debate in the following manner. “There will be (3) three speakers for the recall and (3) three speakers against the recall. Each person recognized to speak will be given up to (3) three minutes to speak in alternating positions, beginning with a speaker in favor of the petitions and concluding with a speaker opposing the petitions. The (3) three persons being recalled will then be given (3) minutes each to speak on their own behalf.” THIS MOTION IS WITHOUT DEBATE AND REQIRES 2/3 MAJORITY VOTE.

If this motion does not pass then discussion or debate will proceed in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order until a motion is made to end discussion or debate and vote.

VI. If the motion to limit debate passes a motion will be presented, “that in compliance with the By-laws of the Lake Chapala Society, the following three officers be removed from office: President, Nancy Creeven; Senior Director # 2 Rick Feldman; Senior Director # 3 Diane Miller: said removal for the reason of conduct in office which is not responsible for the fiscal and general management of the LCS according to a reasonable standard.” Debate will take place in accordance with #III. above. Debate or discussion will not be a question and answer format.

V. At the close of discussion or debate, the voting will begin. The counting of the ballots will be conducted in the Sala by designated tellers. Two persons in favor of the recall and two persons opposed to the recall will be allowed as observers for the counting of ballots.

VI. The President will call for a motion to recess The Extraordinary Meeting while the ballots are counted and to allow for the conducting the Annual Meeting of LCS in accordance with the Constitution and By-laws.

Agenda for Annual Meeting of LCS December 11, 2008

1. Call to order
2. Reading of minutes, December, 2007
3. Treasurer’s Report

A. Auditor committee report

4. President’s Report
5. Adjourn

VII. Reconvene the Extraordinary Meeting to hear results of the voting.

VIII. The President will call for a motion to adjoin the Extraordinary Meeting. Meeting adjourned.