Director Archive

Director

Sep 1, 2020

Holly Woodworth
hswoodworth@gmail.com
315-848-2953

Proposed Bylaws Revision and Member Vote

At the July meeting (via Zoom), the Board approved changes to the Bylaws. A member vote is required for them to be effective Jan 1, 2021. The changes update the old Bylaws to include requirements of current non-Profit law and to implement a smaller and more effective Board. They also include major changes in the governance of ADK. The most important changes are:

  1. Members of the Board will no longer be elected by Chapters, as current Director’s terms expire, they will be replaced by Directors elected by the Board.
  2. Officers of the club will no longer be elected by the membership, they will also be elected by the Board.
  3. Future Board members will be required to make a meaningful financial contribution to the club.
  4. The Chairman of standing Committees will have a seat on the Board. The Committees are Finance, Properties, Human Resources, and Stewardship which combines Conservation, Education and Trails. Chairman are appointed by the President.
  5. Future Bylaw changes will no longer require a member vote and will be determined by the Board.
  6. Chapters will be given representation on an Advisory Committee that will have advisory authority only and must meet once a year.

The proposed Bylaws will be published in the Adirondac Magazine which will also include a ballot. It is very important that each member of ADK consider the pros and cons of these changes and vote. Once these changes are made, member input to club governance will be permanently changed.

ADK has a new Strategic Plan

In 2019 ADK hired a consultant to help them prepare a new Strategic Plan. Although the ADK Board policies give the Board responsibility for approving ADK’s strategic plan, the Executive Committee approved a plan based on the consultant’s recommendations and has begun implementing it. The changes in the plan will be communicated to the Board and members as they roll them out. I have not seen the plan, but understand that it is expected to allow the club to become stronger financially and to be more focused on its core strengths. Education was determined to be ADK’s main core strength. The first implementation step is the revision of the Bylaws described above. I will report on additional developments as I get them.

ADK and the Corona Virus Pandemic

As you probably know ADK has been greatly affected by the Pandemic, having to close facilities and cancel outings. The good news is that Michael Barrett, the Executive Director, moved quickly to get $450,000 from the Federal PPP program to allow the club to maintain its staffing during the closures. The report to the Board regarding financials as of the end of May was surprisingly good.

If you have any questions regarding this information feel free to reach out to me at hswoodworth@gmail.com or 315-848-2953.