Steve Cross wrote: > Each list member may want to look at SF 3238 and > contact his or her representative in the Minnesota > House to indicate your views on it.
Before you do this, I encourage you to read my comments on S.F. 3238. This is a good bill, if one looks closely enough. Under current law, many Minneapolis neighborhood groups face a difficult choice: either disregard existing law, or discourage local citizens from participating in the grassroots institutions meant to serve everyone�s interests. S.F. 3238 will solve this problem without creating the problems Steve described. Most of Steve's concerns dissolve upon a close reading of the bill, and the other will be solved through passage of a legislative amendment Steve requested. Let me resolve Steve�s concerns one at a time: > It�s my view that the procedures are > mandatory, not voluntary *snip*. These procedures are clearly voluntary. Read lines 1.26 through 2.3 of the bill: 1.26 (c) For purposes of this subdivision, "neighborhood 1.27 organization" means a nonprofit corporation under this chapter 2.1 that represents a defined geographic area, has been accepted by 2.2 a political subdivision as the basic planning unit for the area, 2.3 and has amended its bylaws to conform to sections 1 to 4. The word "and" on 2.3 says it all: if the group doesn't amend its bylaws to adopt the new language, it doesn't have to obey the new rules. That�s one concern resolved. > The bill would: > > � require every neighborhood organizations to > elect ALL members of its Board of Directors EVERY > year. Again, let's read the bill: 1.12 Subd. 4. [NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS.] (a) A neighborhood 1.13 organization must elect directors annually. Though it is not explicitly clear, this language does not require all directors to be elected every year. Related statutes allow for staggered multi-year terms. Still, an explicit comfort-language amendment might be helpful, if one has not already been drafted. > � authorize the election of Board Members by > petition. While this is true, any group using a petition would first have to change its bylaws to do this, and would then have to follow strict and demanding notification requirements. That�s plenty strict, and local control is still preserved. > � require meeting notices to literally be put > into the hands of everyone in the neighborhood. > (The bill uses the word �practicable� for notices. As I have learned from House legislators and staff, Steve was good enough to request an amendment to address this concern (�practicable� versus �practical�). Steve�s amendment will be offered when the bill comes up on the House floor. I don�t know of anyone who opposes it. > � Allow anyone eligible to vote to vote at > any meeting of the organization regardless of > whether he or she was a member. Where in the bill does it say non-members get to vote? Only members get to vote, and only in situations where the bylaws say so. > � As long as the bill says �has� and not �if� > then the organization must amend its bylaws to have > yearly elections of all board members; Again, comfort language can make this non-problem disappear. > � As long as the bill says �practicable� and > not �practical� an impossible level of notice is > required; As noted, Steve�s amendment will solve this. > � As long as the bill says, �are� on voting, > the option is with the member and not the > organization. I presume Steve was referring to: 2.29 (b) In the case of a neighborhood organization, members 2.30 with voting rights are . . . The text goes on to say that members are those who (a) are on the membership list, (b) can show ID to prove they live or run a business in the neighborhood or (c) are vouched for by a member who can satisfy the first or second requirement. Group bylaws may also be expanded to give voting rights to others not included in the parts already mentioned. I don�t see a problem here. > To my surprise, in the last year I�ve learned that > some neighborhood groups > operate in less than an open and honest manner. I > have no brief for any > that operate in such a manner. But this bill is not > a remedy to those problems. This bill is not designed to root out corruption. It�s designed to give neighborhood groups an legal, alternate means of maintaining fair and open membership standards. At this task, it succeeds. Please give your support to this worthwhile bill. Dana Bacon HPDL chairman Page neighborhood __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Greetings - send holiday greetings for Easter, Passover http://greetings.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
