Aquaponics Association Charter

[Sylvia Bernstein]

I'm starting this forum topic for anyone who is interested in talking about the new Aquaponics Association.  While nothing will be set in stone when we officially adopt the Charter at the Conference on Sept 16, we'd like to get it as close to representative of what the aquaponics community is hoping for by that time.

If you go to the page that we've set up on the Association site (click here) you can download the Charter and Organizational structure, and answer some questions about your constructive feedback and how can we give you value for your membership dues.  Please take the survey!

Feel free to ask any questions about what we are doing here - the Organizing Committee (myself, Gina Cavaliero, Murray Hallam and Wayne Hall) is an open book, and everyone is a member in this community site.  We are 100% committed to creating an organization that will serve aquaponics well...although we obviously won't be able to do everything right out of the gate, nor will we be able to make everyone happy.  

I'd like to start the discussion rolling by asking a question  that I asked on Murray's forum this morning - how can we bring value to both Individual Members and Commercial members for their dues?  We've listed several things we could do on the survey linked above.  What are we missing?  What sounds great?

[Chris Cates]

What does this mean?

 

"7.  The Bylaws of The Association shall govern all internal workings of each and every member of the Association."

[Wayne Hall]

Chris,

 

The Bylaws are meant to be practical in nature and to assist and help provide clarity for members on the structure of the Branch/Chapter

 

[Chris Cates]

So "all internal workings of each and every member" is supposed to mean branch and chapter structure?  Seems a bit broad.

[Wayne Hall]

As it relates to the internal workings of the Branch/Chapter, again, its to help provide a consistent structure for all Branch/Chapter.

I have been involved in organizations where there could have been complete anarchy among the members, but for the bylaws which governed the organization, all because someone failed to read or lacked an understanding about a particular matter.

 

[Chris Cates]

Is there a reason it couldn't be phrased like this?

 

The Bylaws of The Association shall govern all internal workings of each and every Chapter and Branch of the Association.

[Wayne Hall]

Excellent, Thank you. So much clearing now.

Sometimes you can see the trees for the sake of the forest

 

 

[TCLynx]

Very good

[Jake Schneider]

Hello Fellow Aquanauts (or should i say aquanuts?),

Sorry to be chiming in so late, but it took me 2 days to wade through 19 pages of comments, arguments, suggestions, etc.  I agree with Jon Par's post on page 16? about what I would want from an association.  He said most of what I was thinking while catching up.  So I won't repost it. 

One suggestion I have for the election process:  Is there a stipulation in the charter for the time frame from election to taking office?  It seems that annual elections of ALL officers is going to be a huge turnover for the entire organization.  I think there should be elections on a staggered system or a "training/learning" period for new officers before they become responsible for their position.  I feel that an adjustment period would ease this process for everyone.

Hats off to the fantastic four (or is it five) who put in all this hard work.  Thank you for allowing us to help you build this dream for the benefit of us all.

[Kellen Weissenbach]

Hi Jake,

 

Most associations have elections a few months prior to the end of the current term.  This allows for a cleaner transition and time for the current officers to provide a bit of orientation for the incoming officers. 

 

I would assume there would be a similar arrangement in this case as well.

[Sylvia Bernstein]

Thanks for your kudos, Jake.  Much appreciated .  You have actually touched on something that the organizing group has just started pondering....how can we avoid the trauma of having the entire Board turn over every year...except currently the Chairman, and God help him at the beginning of his second year!

I was talking with a friend who is the Executive Director of several associations yesterday (Progressive Gardening Trade Association, Garden Writers Association, and a few more) about some of our open issues here and he brought up officer terms.  In every organization he is involved with the officers have three year terms, and only 1/3 of the board turns over every year.  That seems long to me (us), but he has a good point about losing productivity because of a big (total?) turnover every year.  What about two year terms?  What does everyone think?

[Kellen Weissenbach]

11.6 The Annual Association Conference shall have the authority to determine whether any Officer of The Association shall be bestowed the honor of Association Officer Emeritus and once such honor is bestowed upon a serving Officer that Association Office shall be deemed vacant and eligible for election. The Association Officer Emeritus shall be recognized as a Life Time Officer of The Association.

 

How is a "Life Time Officer" defined?  Is this purely an honorary title, or is this implying that the "Life Time Officer" would have voting and procedural rights AS AN OFFICER, for life?  As it is written, it is open for interpretation either way.

 

I would assume it is purely an honorary title.  Correct? 

 

[Wayne Hall]

It is purely an honorary title