AMHA MEMBERS THAT WANT TO VOTE BY MAIL OR INTERNET BALLOTS.......read this

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McBunz

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For those who would like to vote on important AMHA matters.. here is a proposal to send to your directors and anyone else who might help with this effort..

Article VI, Section 4 Voting (A)

(A) Regular Members

All Regular Members who have attained the age of ninteen (19) years as of thirty (30) days preceding such meeting and who have been Regular Members for at least six (6) months are entitled to vote on any matter before the Annual Meeting or special meeting. ADD THIS SENTENCE (Voting will be allowed by those members present at the Annual Meeting and those Regular Members that choose to vote by mail ballot and/or via an online internet vote.")

Whenever in these bylaws the term member or members shall be used unless otherwise specified. It shall mean a member(s) in good standing having the right to vote.

Note: Just for clarification, that no other amendment needs to be made for Lifetime Members.

Lifetime members are included in this section, see Article IV, Section B, Which states, "For the purposes of these bylaws the term "Lifetime Members" shall be deemed to include "Regular members" except where otherwise specified."

The way to explain to the members that the Board has the power given to them in two Artilces of the Bylaws to MAKE this amendment to be voted on at the 2009 Annual Meeting.

One of the bylaws that gives the Board this power is:

Article V, Section 3 Powers of the Board

Which states, "The Board of Directors shall have the power and authority to MAKE, amend,repeal and enforce such rules and regulations, not contrary to law, the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, as they may deem expedient and necessary concerning the conduct, management and activities of the Association, etc?

The other Bylaw that gives them the power is"

Article VI, Section 4 (E)

Special Measures which states in part. "Proposals to amend a Bylaw, amend the Articles of Incorporation, or dissolve the Corporation may be proposed at the Annual Meeting and voted upon at the next Annual Meeting. Proposals to amend a Bylaw, amend the Articles of Incorportion, or dissolve the corporation may be made by a petition signed by at least five (5) percent of the voting members as of the April 1st preceding the meeting, OR BY A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, "

The Board has the power to make an amendment to allow members to vote without having to attend an annual meeting. We the membership have the right to insist that the Board make this amendment in order for the 11,900 members of the 12,000 member AMHA says we have to have a voice in how our Association is operated and how our money is spent. Remember that less than l00 members including 23 directors made decisions for all of us at the 2008 Annual Meeting.

If you are an AMHA member and want the Board to make this amendment to vote by mail and/or online, copy the proposed amendment to Article VI, Section 4, (A), above and send it to all your directors. Ask for a reply that your correspondence was received by your director.
 
You need to address all of the objections to allowing remote voting with solutions or it will be shot down by those attending the meeting.

Don't forget, you are trying to get a change voted on and passed by those folks who DO attend the meetings.

As I have said in many, many other postings on this subject, those of you who want this changed have to find out what the obstacles are and provide possible solutions.

Those who attend the meetings just don't have a vested interest in seeing a change like this passed.
 
You need to address all of the objections to allowing remote voting with solutions or it will be shot down by those attending the meeting.

Don't forget, you are trying to get a change voted on and passed by those folks who DO attend the meetings.

As I have said in many, many other postings on this subject, those of you who want this changed have to find out what the obstacles are and provide possible solutions.

Those who attend the meetings just don't have a vested interest in seeing a change like this passed.
Well, that's odd, because from what I have read here they passed the new measurement rule and nobody thought of the obstacles and solutions before hand. So what's the difference? Can't talk out of both sides of your face here.

Of course the small percentage of the membership that can go to the meeting do not want to give up their control
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Why would they?
 
Those attending should have interest in seeing this passed.. General membership money is funding most

of the programs including shows put on by the AMHA. We have already seen in a previous poll that the

general membership wants this right.. The AMHA is our club as well as that of the few that can get to these

meeting. The figures show the cost of this meeting was huge for the few that attended.. so mail or internet

voting would be much cheaper and take the interests of the majority of AMHA members into account..

The directors are suppose to be representing their area.. not just the few that show up at the meeting.

If they can not do this, it is about time the membership started looking for directors who will represent the

entire membership.
 
This is sooooo long OVERDUE for BOTH registries. I soooo wish they would more SERIOUSLY consider these proposals submitted and actually work with the person(s) submitting them to try and work out a workable version. I would guess it feels just like
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for those that have submitted it unsuccessfully athroughout the years.
 
"Those who attend the meetings just don't have a vested interest in seeing a change like this passed."

Now that sentence says it all. There you go AMHA members. What's good for the "goose" is only good for the "goose", never mind the rest of us.

And, to echo Carol's sentiments - it OBVIOUSLY WASN'T NECESSARY to "address all of the objections", or "find out what the obstacles are and provide possible solutions" for the "Base Of The Withers" measuring rule to pass. Talk about a DOUBLE STANDARD!
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Nikki
 
I apologize for the attempt to help you understand what it would take to get this passed.

I keep trying, keep hearing how wrong I am, it shouldn't be this way. I won't try any more, it is pointless.

Why did I even say what I did? Because a few years ago, I brought up the subject at an AMHA meeting and was told that for something like this to be passed, that is what would have to be done. I then offered to assist people on this list as a go between, nobody took me up on it. So, when the subject came up again, same offer, same lack of response.

It is very disheartening to try to offer a perspective, some help and be told I don't know anything. So, I'll just take my dumb self off to more productive things.

You can scream until the cows come home that it shouldn't be like this, ain't gonna change a thing.

It is what it is.
 
Jodi, you know what this group of members wants. You know what needs to be done to put forth a propostal that will be absolutely correct, no loopholes to foul it up, so why don't YOU just make up the proposal and submit it.

But perhaps you do not believe in this proposed rule change & so don't wish to do that? Or can a director not submit rule proposals? Never mind, I guess they can, it was a director that put in the stupid proposal regarding measuring at the bottom of the withers wasn't it.
 
I can say like it or not what Sfmini says is true. It is the reality so you can shoot the messenger or make sure you cover those points.

Far be it for me to stick up for the way it is but as they say them is the facts!

If you want this to pass simply make sure you cover all rebuttals that could come up and cross your T's and dot your I's.

Not everyone who goes to the Conventions are rich or retired. I know I go to AMHR convention it is costing me a fortune and takes a year of planning but I still make it.

That said I of course feel all members of both registries deserve a vote and a say in what goes on.
 
Jody I will take any help I can get to get this passed.. If you know better how to propose this change please

post it for us.. You know the issues as well as anyone and you are a director representing your area..
 
Jody, I hear your frustration and sympathize, believe me. It is just as disheartening to all the rest of us, as AMHA members, to know that what you tell us is true, but the fact remains, that it is only true when a "few" people want it to be and not true when those same people want to pass what "they" want. It can't and shouldn't work both ways, but it does. That is what has to stop. EVERYONE should be held ACCOUNTABLE to the rules and bylaws of the association. And by "everyone" I mean those few that attend the Annual Meetings and make the decisions for the rest of us.

Nikki
 
It is very disheartening to try to offer a perspective, some help and be told I don't know anything. So, I'll just take my dumb self off to more productive things.
First of all Jody, I do not think that you are dumb or don't know anything. I don't think anyone has said that. But it's very disheartening to the member to see a double standard.

I also know that what your are saying is true........BUT it doesn't make it right and that is what I believe people are upset about.
 
To remove obstacles as requested.

Post all proposed amendments to bylaws, rules and regulations and show rules in their FINAL FORM as they are to be voted on at the annual meeting, in the Miniature Horse World and or official correspondence by November 15, of each year. Mail same proposed amendments to every member with ballots for voting by mail by December 1, of each year. This date will satisy the requirement of 60 day notice before the annual meeting of all proposed amendments, as per our bylaws. Return ballots to accounting firm and handle voting procedure exactly as the handling of voting for directors. Members will submit a fee with ballot to accounting firm. This fee should help offset any great expense to AMHA for mail ballots and tabulation of votes.

Accounting firm will submit the result of the votes on the amendments as passed or failed to the AMHA President no later than l0 days prior to the annual meeting. The results of the tabulation of votes will NOT be opened until the Annual Meeting is in progress. The President will read the results of the voting tabulations, after the votes of the members present and voting at the meeting have been counted for each amendment. The amendment will then be recorded as fassed or failed.

Accounting firm and AMHA office will keep results of votes on file for one year and will supply written report to any member who shall request the report.

The fee for voting by mail ballot shall not exceed $10 per voting member.

To start voting my mail, only proposed amendments by mail ballot will be implemented. As computer software becomes available, AMHA will include internet voting along with mail ballots to those members without internet access, that request to vote by mail.

Rationale: AMHA is constantly looking for ways to increase membership. The opportunity to provide the members a chance to take part in the decisions of the association with voting by mail ballot or internet ballot, will encourage the increase in membership, and will halt the steady loss of members and the decline in horse registrations that AMHA is now facing. The entire membership will have a chance to become active in the operations of their Association.

The cost of conducting the annual meeting can be drastically reduced, and save the Association quite an expense. The year end audit for the year 2007 reports that the fee for the 2007 Annual Meeting was ($41,239), forty one thousand, two hundred and thirty nine dollars. This amount of money covers the expense of roughly only a few over one hundred members including directors that attend the Annual Meeting and make the decisions for all the membership.

The fee of $10 per voting member will be eliminated when for those members who choose to vote by internet ballot, when computer software is availabe. This fee of $10 per mail ballot is necessary to help cover cost of voting tabulation, postage and printing. This fee is still less expensive for members, as currently each voting member has to pay $25 to attend the Annual Meeting in person and vote. The fee is $100 per member to attend the meeting and vote if the member does not make their reservations at least (7) days in advance of the meeting.

Does this meet with what you were saying Jody????????
 
If you want this to pass simply make sure you cover all rebuttals that could come up and cross your T's and dot your I's.
Yes, it sounds simple enough, but then if this is expected of the general membership when they submit a proposal, then why is it not also expected from Directors that submit proposals, and better yet, why does the Board not see to it that is is done this way for ALL propsals, and not just select ones??

Truthfully, I persoanlly feel that overall, the Board is AFRAID to give all members voting rights.
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Truthfully, I persoanlly feel that overall, the Board is AFRAID to give all members voting rights.
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I 100 percent agree with you. I am just saying that fair it is not but for those writing the proposal take all the advice you can get so that this whole thing can not be dismissed as it has in the past.
 
I'm sorry Jody, I did understand your post, it may or may not be your stand on the situation but it is part of what has to be done to get this passed.

The other part is, once you have the right proposal to take to the membership to vote, there had better be enough of you there to get it passed, you can moan and groan and complain about how unfair all you want, but to make the change, there has to be enough votes for it. Doesn't matter is I like it or not, its the final vote that will make or break it. So all of you that signed petitions, came up with solutions, gripe about everything thats wrong with AMHA, go vote to change it. Its the only way it will happen.

Then after one meeting and you get it passed that mailout ballots or email ballots or whatever is come up with, you can all sit at home, make your own choices and never have to go to another meeting again.

Of course if no one has to go to the meetings, why bother having them?
 
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LisaF.,

Very well said!! I think you have hit a lot of nails right on the head and are echoing the feeling of MANY AMHA members that cannot make it to the meetings or are afraid or intimidated to speak out or post their feelings on a public forum.

Nikki
 
I respect your opinion to want a voice but would never support a rule change for mail in or internet ballots that didn't address

a) cost and how to offset it

b) a forum to discuss pros & cons of each rule change

c) how to assure that each vote was legit

Jody is right, those that make it a priority to attend the meetings are not going to be the ones taking MORE time out of their lives to address this. Many that attend these meeting are no more wealthy than you or I and have to prioritize to budget in attending the meetings.
 
There have been NUMEROUS discussions on this forum over the last few months on how to "offset" the cost for mail in or internet voting. Practical and logical suggestions as well as "income driven" suggestions on this very subject. Perhaps it's time to re-visit all the suggestions and start another thread about this very subject. If anybody posted any suggestions to this, I am sure it can be found in the archives to add to a new thread.

As far as a "forum" to discuss the "pros" and "cons", that is an excellent idea and one that was previously suggested as well.

On how to assure that each vote was legit, well, first of all, this was also discussed at length over the last few months on this forum. Second, how do the members (who don't attend the annual meeting) know that each vote at an annual meeting is "legit"?

sdmini - if a proposal was to be presented for mail in voting, one that answers all the concerns, addresses any obstacles and includes solutions to those obstacles, would you vote to pass it?

Nikki
 
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I don't think a forum for discussion would ever work. At the national meetings you have to sit down to listen to what others have to say. Sometimes, amazingly, that means you learn something. With a discussion forum it is to easy to get stuck in your own point of view, not comprehend what others are saying, or just plain not see it if it's not what you wanted to see.

It's not the travel TO the national meeting that is so important, it is the requirement that you have to be a part of the discussion that is so important. Having traveled to national meetings, and watched on the live 'cast I can tell you it is not the same thing. I even was on a cell phone this year to ask people questions about discussions. It is only with full participation that we can make the best decisions for everyone, even if that means going against some things that would be of personal benefit.

Edit Add: With the webcast what you don't see are the meetings, workshops, and brainstorming that are going on leading up to "the big votes". Sitting down across the table to talk about amateur programs, shows, and classes with AOTE, youth and professionals from all over the world is an eye opening experience. There is no substitute.

Edit Add Two: An example of the first paragraph is that I have strong ideas about the amateur program, however after talking to people from the east coast and some of the designers of the amatuer programs I saw that my views were good for my area, but not the best overall. Still learning.
 
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