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2010-11_Report-Constitution Committee 

Submitted by Webmaster on   4/15/2012
Last Modified

CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE REPORT 2010-2011

FROM: The Constitution Committee
  • Clark Beurlen – circusday@earthlink.net  (Chair)
  • Pete Adams   -- circusp@comcast.net
  • Jan Biggerstaff – circusjan@hotmail.com
  • Maxine House – madhouse@verizon.net (Ex-Officio)
  • Connie Thomas – cdtrumpet@att.net
  • Peter Wagner – pww@iowainformation.com

DATE: July 1, 2011
    The CFA Constitution Committee was appointed by Pat Pagel and continued by Maxine House to study our present Constitution and Bylaws and suggest revisions. The Bylaws were completed and approved in 2010. During the past eight months, the committee has evaluated many excellent suggestions as we considered possible changes to the CFA Constitution. We also evaluated input received from a variety of CFA members.

    Several things are apparent:

    1. We have a cumbersome organizational structure that was created over eighty years ago in a world where communication was slow and often difficult. That world has changed, and we must also change to keepup with it. We need to look forward and consider the future needs of CFA.

    2. It is increasingly difficult to find willing candidates for our offices. Most ballots include only one candidate for each office, and sometimes no candidate for an office. Very few District Directors ever become President. During the past ten years, three Presidents never served as District Directors.

    3. The current system of sixteen District Directors is outdated and unequal. In a count done October 1, 2009, ten of the sixteen District Directors represented a total of 659 members. The remaining four District Directors represented a total of 939 members.

    4. With instant communication now available, most CFA business is often conducted via telephone and/or e-mail. The need for “regions” and “districts” no longer exists. The committee believes that it is time to elect our officers “at large”.

    5. Presidential terms are currently one year (sometimes more and sometimes less) with starting and ending dates determined by passing an elephant guide at the annual convention which can take place at almost any time in the year. This erratic term structure is no longer practical. We need to establish two-year terms  based upon  the fiscal year of our organization (May 1 through April 30).

    6. Less than 10% of our members attend our annual convention. We need to consider the location, structure, length, and cost of our conventions to make them available to more of our members.

    The Constitution Committee has arrived at a proposed plan of organizational changes.  It includes many innovative procedures that we feel are important for the future of CFA. The recommendations will beincorporated  in a revised Constitution and submitted for approval by the CFA Board of Directors at the 2011 New York Convention. Once approved, the revisions will be published in White Tops. CFA members will vote on the revisions when they submit their next election ballots. Revisions will then be phased  in as indicated.

C.F.A. CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDED ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES

1. Beginning in 2014, elections should be held every other year.

2. All CFA officers should be elected at-large. Regions and districts should be eliminated. Board members should be required to attend all Board meetings (except in case of emergency) and vote on all issues. Board members could vote in person at conventions, by mail, or electronically with all votes recorded by the Executive Secretary-Treasurer.

3. In accordance with the CFA fiscal year, elected officers should begin their terms on May 1 and should conclude their terms on April 30 two years later. Officers installed at the 2014 Convention should serve until
April 30, 2016.

4. Every other year, a Vice President should be elected for six years of service; serving as Vice President for two years, President-Elect for two years, and President for two years. (Officers presently serve six years; four as Vice President, one as President-Elect, and one as President.) A President should serve only one two-year term.

5. Ten Trustees should be elected for four-year terms and could serve an unlimited number of terms. Each Trustee should be assigned an equal portion of the CFA membership list to represent. In 2016, five Trustees should be elected for a two-year term and five Trustees should be elected for a four-year term. In all later elections, five Trustees should be elected for four-year terms and five Trustees should carry over.

6. Organizational structure:

        PRESIDENT              (Two-year term)
                        CEO and Board chairperson
                        Ex-Officio on committees
                        Convention direction
                       
        PRESIDENT - ELECT      (Two-year term)
                        Coordinate committees and appointments
                        Preliminary convention planning

         VICE PRESIDENT          (Two-year term)
                        Coordinate membership recruitment and special projects
                        Preliminary convention planning

         TRUSTEES (10)         (Four-year terms)               
                        Serve on Board of Trustees and on committees
                        Coordinate Tents, Tops, and membership issues

7. Conventions should be held yearly. Beginning in 2016, a President should be responsible for a national convention during his or her first year in office at a location approved by the Board of Trustees at least three years in advance. Convention planning should begin while the President serves as Vice President.

8. During his or her second year in office, the President should have the option of offering a mini-convention at  a “circus” location such as Baraboo, Peru, Sarasota, etc. OR a second full convention. Either option should take place at a location approved by the Board of Trustees at least three years in advance.
 

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